2018 REFERENCE BOOK Supporting rural health in New South Wales, Australia
RURAL MEDICAL SERVICE AWARDS Each year the Rural Medical Service Award acknowledges rural doctors who have achieved long-standing medical service to regional, rural and remote communities in New South Wales (NSW). The service can be cumulative or consecutive and GPs who are currently practising and have been working for 35 or more years in rural NSW (Remoteness Areas 2-5) are eligible. Winners are formally recognised at a special dinner presentation during the annual NSW Rural Doctors Network Rural GPs Conference in Sydney in November. To nominate a GP for an award in 2018 or for more information, email RDN’s Public Relations Manager at publicity@nswrdn.com.au or call RDN on 02 4924 8000.
Published February 2018 NSW Rural Doctors Network Ltd ISSN 1442-1879 NSW Rural Doctors Network is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and the NSW Ministry of Health. Information in this publication is current at the time of publishing. Cover photo: Tumut NSW
NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
2018
reference book
Callicoma Hill, Hunter Valley NSW
Scone NSW
NSW Rural Doctors Network
2018 REFERENCE BOOK The healthcare workforce in New South Wales is large and diverse. Doctors, nurses, midwives, Aboriginal Health Workers, allied health professionals, practice managers, students and many more comprise the system that provides quality healthcare for people across remote, rural and regional areas. Published since 1999, the NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) Reference Book is a comprehensive and useful directory covering NSW and national health resources to help you navigate your way to services and support. The Reference Book can be downloaded at www.nswrdn.com.au, where you can also find quick links to our social media sites on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. RDN welcomes feedback on the content of this book to continually improve on meeting the needs of rural GPs, health professionals and their communities. Please email your thoughts to publicity@nswrdn.com.au I hope you find this book helpful - thank you for your commitment to serving your community.
Richard Colbran Chief Executive Officer NSW Rural Doctors Network
CONTENTS NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK About the NSW Rural Doctors Network NSW Rural Doctors Network Board NSW Rural Doctors Network Staff Contacts
9 12 13
GRANTS Grants for Health Professionals in Rural NSW - General Practice Rural Incentives Program - Health Workforce Scholarships Program - Fellowship Exam Preparation Assistance - Procedural Grants - Practice Incentives Programme - Practice Nurse Incentive Programme - Immunisation Register
16 16 17 17 17 17 18 18
EDUCATION AND TRAINING Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine Education Programs - Continuing Professional Development - RDN WebEd Training Programs - Rural Medical Training Forum Australian General Practice Training Health Education and Training Institute NSW Interdisciplinary Clinical Training Networks TCN NSW Regional Training Organisation Royal Australian College of General Practitioners - RACGP National Rural Faculty - RACGP National Faculty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - RACGP NSW & ACT Faculty Royal Australian College of Physicians Remote Vocational Training Scheme
20 21 21 21 22 22 22 23 23 24 25 25 26 26 27 27
STUDENTS Scholarships University of Rural Health Clubs National Rural Health Student Network University Departments of Rural Health Rural Clinical Schools John Flynn Placement Program
29 30 30 33 34 36
OVERSEAS TRAINED DOCTORS Overseas Trained Doctor (OTD) Resources - Five Year OTD Recruitment Scheme
38 38
- Rural Locum Relief Program DoctorConnect
38 39
RURAL WORKFORCE PLANNING AND SUPPORT Rural Workforce Planning - Policy & Research District of Workforce Shortage Australian Statistical Geography Classification Modified Monash Model - Data Rural Workforce Support - Locum Program - Outreach Program - Rural Vacancies Website Rural Locum Assistance Program Rural Medical Family Network
41 41 42 42 43 43 44 44 44 46 47 47
ABORIGINAL HEALTH Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association Bawrunga Aboriginal Medical Services Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives Indigenous Allied Health Australia Maari Ma Primary Health Care Service National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Association LIME Network Healing Foundation
49 50 53 53 54 55 55 56 56 57 58 58 59
NATIONAL AND STATE BASED ORGANISATIONS Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency Medical Board of Australia Ambulance Service of NSW Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Australian Medical Association Australian Medical Council Australian Digital Health Agency Clinical Excellence Commission General Practice Registrars Australia National Health and Medical Research Council National Rural Health Alliance NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation
61 62 63 64 64 65 65 66 66 67 67 68 68
NSW Emergency Care Institute Primary Health Care Research and Information Service Royal Far West Royal Flying Doctor Service Rural Doctors Association of Australia Rural Doctors Association (NSW) Rural Workforce Agencies
69 69 70 70 71 73 74
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT RURAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS Australian Government Department of Health NSW Ministry of Health Local Health Districts - Rural and Regional NSW Local Health Districts
78 79 80 81
GENERAL PRACTICE SUPPORT Rural and Remote Medical Services Primary Health Networks - Rural and Regional NSW Primary Health Networks - Rural and Regional Health Network Boundaries
83 84 85 87
NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH Australian Association of Social Workers Australian College of Midwives Australian College of Nursing Australian Dental Association Allied Health Professions Australia Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Australian Physiotherapy Association Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association Australian Psychological Society CRANAplus - CRANAplus Bush Support Services Dietitians Association of Australia Occupational Therapy Association Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health Speech Pathology Australia
89 89 90 90 91 92 93 94 94 95 95 96 96 97 97
SPECIALIST ADVISORY SERVICES FOR GPs Doctors’ Health Advisory Service Drug and Alcohol Specialist Advisory Service Medical Benevolent Association National Health Services Directory
99 99 100 100
WEBSITES
102
ACRONYMS 107 INDEX
112
NSW Rural Doctors Network
RDN Medical Cadet, Dr Alan Dyason with Dr Jeniffer Fiore-Chapman, Dubbo Hospital NSW
ABOUT THE NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) aims to provide the highest possible standard of health care to rural and remote communities in New South Wales (NSW) through support for a continuing and highly skilled medical workforce.
RDN has three priority objectives, which are reflected in its planning and programs:
• current rural GPs • fully Registered Australian or AMC Graduates • Permanent and Temporary Resident Overseas Trained Doctors • rural communities and rural General Practices • university medical students • rural dentists, nurses and allied health professionals • rural high school students • rural medical families • medical specialists • Aboriginal Health Organisations. RDN can help current rural GPs by providing: • locum services
1. Expand and maintain resources for rural heath
• free advertising of rural General Practice vacancies on www.nswrdn.com.au
2. Provide support services for rural health
• assistance with sourcing and recruiting new doctors
3. Provide corporate management for RDN activities. RDN is a public company limited by guarantee with more than 1,500 members including primary members and associate members. It operates through the following framework: • Board of Directors • CEO and Executive Management • Management, project and administrative staff in two offices at Newcastle and Sydney.
• provision of family friendly Continuing Professional Development (CPD) conferences • provision of anaesthetic and obstetric procedural conferences • transition grants to move to eligible rural locations • assistance with the Federal Government’s General Practice Rural Incentives Program (GPRIP)
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NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
RDN is a non-government and not-for-profit organisation with a critical role in developing and administering programs to improve the recruitment and retention of GPs, dentists, midwives, nurses and allied health professionals in regional, rural and remote NSW. Funded by the Australian Government Department of Health (DoH) and the NSW Ministry of Health (MoH), RDN is committed to working with health agencies and communities to improve access to skilled rural health services.
NSW Rural Doctors Network assists:
• if eligible, scholarships and bursaries to support postgraduate study or CPD in medicine.
• CPD vouchers for doctors new to NSW rural General Practice
• if eligible, training grants for emergency medicine and sexual health courses.
• access to a Medicare provider number for mentored practice through the Rural Locum Relief Program (Permanent Residents and some New Zealand citizens only and subject to eligibility criteria).
RDN can help fully registered Australian or AMC graduates by providing:
RDN can help rural communities and rural General Practices by providing:
• information and advice for graduates interested in rural General Practice
• advice and assistance for communities and practices with medical workforce difficulties
• access to a Medicare provider number to work in rural NSW through the Rural Locum Relief Program
• practical assistance with GP, nursing and allied health recruitment including registration, immigration and provider numbers
• if eligible, training grants for emergency medicine and sexual health courses.
• relocation and other Retention Program information/grants that are available to rural GPs • CPD vouchers for doctors new to NSW rural General Practice • rural GP locum work opportunities. RDN can help Permanent and Temporary Resident Overseas Trained Doctors by providing: • advice on opportunities for working as a GP in rural NSW • assistance in securing a suitable position in rural NSW
• information on and assistance with new types of rural General Practice including Easy Entry - Gracious Exit and integrated primary health care • Health Outreach Programs. RDN can help rural high school students by providing: • information about scholarships for tertiary study • information about support for rural origin students wanting to study a health related degree.
• assistance to facilitate a site visit or Observership
RDN can help rural medical families by providing:
• model appointment contracts available upon request
• children and partner programs at weekend CPD conferences
• retention program information including transition grants and other grants available to rural GPs.
• crisis assistance
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• information packages • one-on-one partner support with other rural GP partners.
RDN can help Aboriginal health organisations by providing: • GP recruitment and retention services to Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations • if eligible, scholarships and bursaries to support Aboriginal Health Workers with postgraduate study or CPD
• support for visiting health practitioners to provide clinical upskilling to local Aboriginal health services and practitioners • GP locum support • partnerships with the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council in joint medical workforce initiatives.
• if eligible, scholarships and bursaries to support postgraduate study or CPD nursing, allied health or Aboriginal health • advice on current employment opportunities • introductions to suitable employers • practical support and advice on relocation • advice and support on registration and visa processes for international applicants • networking opportunities to connect rural health professionals • free advertising of rural NSW nursing or allied health vacancies on www.nswrdn.com.au
INVITATION TO JOIN NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK Membership of NSW Rural Doctors Network is free and provides its members with benefits: • Regular updates on RDN’s subsidised Continuing Professional Development conferences and information on our family-friendly programs • Weekly email updates on rural health workforce issues and events via RDN’s Monday Message newsletter • Copy of our Reference Book • Voting rights at our Annual General Meeting. To join, complete the membership application online at www.nswrdn.com.au/membership
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• funds for medical, nurse and allied health practitioners to deliver outreach clinics in areas with significant Aboriginal populations
RDN can assist nurses and allied health professionals relocating to rural areas by providing:
NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK BOARD 2018 The Board is managed by nominees from key stakeholder organisations. Chair
Dr John Curnow NSW Rural Doctors Association
Vice Chair
Dr Ros Bullock Elected GP
Treasurer
Dr Lauren Cone Elected GP
Secretary
Dr Rose Ellis Co-opted NSW Rural Doctors Network Board member
Members
Ms Christine Corby Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council
A/Prof John Kramer Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (NSW Faculty)
Dr Henry Hicks NSW Australian Medical Association
Ms Jill Ludford NSW Ministry of Health (Senior Executive)
Dr William Lancashire NSW Ministry of Health (Director of Primary and/or Community Services or Director of Medical Services)
Further information Dr Rose Ellis NSW Rural Doctors Network Tel 02 8337 8100 Fax 02 8337 8110 Email rellis@nswrdn.com.au
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NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK STAFF CONTACTS
Newcastle Office, Hamilton Tel 02 4924 8000 Fax 02 4924 8010 Email info@nswrdn.com.au Web www.nswrdn.com.au Accounts & Finance, Administration, Executive, Human Resources, Information Communication &Technology (ICT), Health Workforce Programs, Stakeholder Engagement and Communications, Reporting, Rural Medical Services Initiatives Sydney Office, Mascot Tel 02 8337 8100 Fax 02 8337 8110 Email info@nswrdn.com.au Web www.nswrdn.com.au Administration, Executive, Conferences & Continuing Professional Development, Health Outreach, Education & Training Chief Executive Tel 02 4924 8000 Fax 02 4924 8010 Email ceo@nswrdn.com.au Chief Executive Officer Richard Colbran Executive Assistant Katinka Smith Senior Management General Manager Dave Karlson Director, Governance & Health Service Development Dr Rose Ellis Medical Advisor Dr Paul Collett Medical Advisor, Special Projects Dr Elizabeth Barrett Corporate Services Executive Support Louise Fearnley
Administration Office Administration (Newcastle) Gayle Goninan Office Administration (Sydney) Patricia Tonkin, Mina Zinopolous Health Workforce Programs Tel 02 4924 8000 Fax 02 4924 8020 Email recruit@nswrdn.com.au (GP enquiries) locums@nswrdn.com.au (GP Locum enquiries) nah@nswrdn.com.au (Nursing & Allied Health enquiries) Senior Manager, Workforce Emer O’Callaghan Manager, Workforce Planning Christine Roach Manager, Workforce Development & Recruitment Rebecca Francis Project Manager, Health Access Carolyn Ripper Regional Partnerships Manager, Health Workforce Sarah Dowe, Katie McDonell Medical Workforce Consultant Mark Muchiri, Margaret Young, Janice Hall Workforce Development Jane Budden, Nicole Beehag, Angela Eyre, Leonie Crampton Workforce Project Coordinator Angela Kerr Recruitment Consultant Administration Officer, Workforce Ainsley Collins Human Resources Tel 02 4924 8000 Fax 02 4924 8010 Email hr@nswrdn.com.au HR Manager Tiffany Sutherland 2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 13
Finance, Contracts & Operations Tel 02 4924 8000 Fax 02 4924 8010 Email accounts@nswrdn.com.au
Project Manager, Outreach Amanda Masset, Rachel Geraghty
Finance Manager Phillip Blackford
Team Support Officer, Outreach Emily Scroope
Accounts Officer Glenda Wrightson, Lisa Park, Judith Lauder Communications Tel 02 4924 8000 Fax 02 4924 8010 Email publicity@nswrdn.com.au Senior Manager, Stakeholder Engagement & Communications Katie Porritt Public Relations Manager Kim Carlson Information and Translation Tel 8337 8100 Fax 8337 8110 Email infomgt@nswrdn.com.au (Information Management enquiries) Email it@nswrdn.com.au (Information Technology enquiries) Senior Manager, Information and Translation Mike Edwards Business Intelligence Analyst Vacant Systems Developer Aaron Jolly, Isaiah Langford, Alen Paulic Data Administrator Heath Johnson IT Administrator Jason Tyler, Simon Lyddiard Health Outreach Programs Tel 02 8337 8100 Fax 02 8337 8110 Email msoap@nswrdn.com.au Senior Manager, Outreach Sharif Bagnulo
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Project Officer, Outreach Nicole Favaloro, Sally Brugger, Nafiza Hai
Western NSW Eye Health Project Tel 02 8337 8100 Fax 02 8337 8110 Senior Project Officer Jane Hager Program Manager Claire O’Neill Project Officer Josie Newton Education and Training Tel 02 8337 8100 Fax 02 8337 8110 Email students@nswrdn.com.au (Student enquiries) Email conferences@nswrdn.com.au (Conference enquiries) Senior Manager, Education & Training Arna Wotherspoon Future Workforce Manager Chris Russell Conference & Events Manager Lindsey Eifler Project Officer, Education & Training Vacant Project Officer, Future Workforce Christal Cheung Senior Office Administrator Mina Zinopoulos Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators Tel 02 8337 8100 Fax 02 8337 8110 RACMA Trainee Dr Kathryn Costantino
GRANTS
Milthorpe NSW
GRANTS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN RURAL NSW Grants are available to GPs new to Modified Monash Model (MMM) 3-7 locations and aim to support the professional, clinical and social orientation of GPs through: • Transition Grants - For GPs to make the shift to rural general practice, to live and work in rural and remote towns in need of a GP.
Transition Grants are: MMM 3-4 $2,000 MMM 5 $3,000 MMM 6-7 $5,000
• CPD Vouchers - RDN holds two GP conferences each year. These refresher weekends offer a range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities for a doctor, while family members are treated to a range of social activities. CPD Vouchers are offered to doctors (not registrars) new to general practice in rural NSW within MMM 3-7 locations. • Clinical Orientation (Training) Grants For doctors in rural or remote NSW whose medical registration requires them to undertake either emergency medicine or sexual health and reproductive health training. Eligible training includes: – Advanced Life Support (ALS); delivered by an accredited provider – Family Planning NSW; Sexual Health & Family Planning Australia Certificate Course in Sexual Health & Reproductive Health – Family Planning NSW Course; Reproductive & Sexual Health in the Australian Context – other courses listed as a condition of medical registration.
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General Practice Rural Incentives Program The General Practice Rural Incentives Program (GPRIP) is an Australian Government incentive program. GPRIP encourages medical practitioners to practise in rural and remote communities and to promote careers in rural medicine. GP & Registrar Eligibility To be eligible for GRRIP, medical practitioners must deliver primary care services and/or undertake GP registrar placements in regional and remote NSW. Please note that payments are scaled according to MMM locations, length of practice and clinical workload of eligible services. Calculations are based on active quarters. Clinical workload is measured by Medicare billings - between $6,000 and $30,000 per quarter. An incentive payment is calculated as a pro-rata percentage of a full load (at least $30,000) per quarter. A GPRIP scale per MMM location is averaged for any quarter across all MMMs worked. For information about eligible locations and services, search for GPRIP on the Rural Health Australia website at www.ruralhealthaustralia.gov.au Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Tel 02 4924 8000 Email gpgrants@nswrdn.com.au
Health Workforce Scholarship Program The Health Workforce Scholarship Program (HWSP) aims to improve access to health services needed in rural and remote areas by supporting an increase in skills, capacity and or/scope of practice of privately employed health professionals in the fields of medicine, nursing, allied health and Aboriginal health. The HWSP provides:
– bursaries to support rural professionals in medicine, nursing, allied health and Aboriginal Health Workers participating in professional development and upskilling courses. One-off bursary payments are available to cover the cost of training or course fees and/or cover training related expenses such as accommodation and transport. Health professionals in the fields of medicine, nursing, allied health and Aboriginal Health Workers who provide or will be providing services to rural and remote locations classified by the Modified Monash Model (MMM) 3 - 7 are eligible to apply. The HWSP is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and administered in NSW by RDN. Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Tel 02 4924 8000 Email hwsp@nswrdn.com.au
RDN provides grants to eligible doctors to take part in approved exam preparation courses or activities prior to obtaining Fellowship of RACGP or ACRRM. Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Tel 02 4924 8000 Email rhwprograms@nswrdn.com.au
Procedural Grants The Colleges of ACCRM and RACGP administer procedural training grants for GPs who work in ASGC RA 2-5 locations in public hospitals that are open 24/7. Procedural grants are offered to eligible doctors who are upskilling in emergency medicine, minor surgical, anaesthetics and obstetrics. More information: www.acrrm.org.au or www.racgp.org.au
Practice Incentives Programme The Practice Incentives Programme (PIP) supports general practice activities that encourage continuing improvements, quality care, enhance capacity, and improve access and health outcomes for patients. The PIP is administered by Medicare on behalf of the DoH. There are currently 11 individual incentives in the PIP including: Asthma Incentive; After Hours Incentive; Cervical Screening Incentive; Diabetes Incentive; eHealth Incentive; GP Aged Care Access Incentive; Indigenous Health Incentive; Procedural GP Payment; Quality Prescribing Incentive; Rural Loading Incentive; and Teaching Payment.
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GRANTS
– scholarships to postgraduate health practitioners, undertaking further study in the field of medicine, nursing, allied health and Aboriginal health. Scholarship payments of up to $10,000 per year for up to two years will be available to support participants for full time or part time studies.
Fellowship Exam Preparation Assistance
For more information, search for PIP under Health Professionals on the Department of Human Services website at www.humanservices.gov.au
Practice Nurse Incentive Programme The Practice Nurse Incentive Programme (PNIP) provides incentive payments to practices to support an expanded role for nurses working in general practice. The PNIP is administered by Medicare on behalf of the DoH and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. For more information, search for PNIP under Health Professionals on the Department of Human Services website at www.humanservices.gov.au
Immunisation Register The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) aims to encourage practices to fully immunise children and young people who attend their practices. The ACIR is administered by Medicare on behalf of the DoH. An ‘information payment’ is made to general practices for administering and notifying the ACIR of a vaccination that completes one of the age based immunisation schedules funded under the National Immunisation Program. The ACIR immunisation requirements apply to children and young people up to 20 years of age. For more information, search for ACIR under the Health Professionals menu on the Department of Human Services website at www.humanservices.gov.au
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Education and training
RDN Medical Cadet Weekend, Albury NSW
AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF RURAL AND REMOTE MEDICINE The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) is one of two colleges in Australia responsible for setting professional medical standards for training, assessment, certification and continuing professional development in the general practice specialty. The College plays an important role in supporting junior doctors and medical students considering a career in rural medicine. ACRRM is a member-based organisation committed to delivering sustainable, highquality health services to rural and remote communities by providing: • quality education programs • innovative support, and • strong representation for doctors who serve those communities. Fellowship of the College is unique with rural doctors having developed the ACRRM Fellowship training program specifically for generalists working in rural and remote areas. Fellowship is linked to vocational recognition as a GP by Medicare Australia, which is maintained via ongoing participation in designated quality assurance and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs. Further information Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine Level 2, 410 Queen St Brisbane QLD 4000 GPO Box 2507 Brisbane QLD 4001 Tel 1800 223 226 Email acrrm@acrrm.org.au Web www.acrrm.org.au
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ACRRM Board and Directors President A/Prof Ruth Stewart Email president@acrrm.org.au Dr Michael Beckoff Dr Suzanne Harrison Dr Ewen McPhee Dr Daniel Halliday Dr Michelle Hannan Chief Executive Officer Ms Marita Cowie Email m.cowie@acrrm.org.au
online education
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
RDN WebEd
Continuing Professional Development
NSW Rural Doctors Network provides an online education support service called RDN WebEd, which is accessible at www.rdnwebed.com.au
NSW Rural Doctors Network coordinates two major Continuing Professional Development (CPD) conferences throughout the year for rural GPs and their families. CPD not only involves clinical lectures, workshops and discussion groups, but also other lifestyle topics such as financial management, doctor health and family wellbeing.
NSW Rural Doctors Network also offers two procedural weekends each year that focus on either anaesthetics and obstetrics. Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Arna Wotherspoon Tel 02 4924 8000 Email conferences@nswrdn.com.au
Each education module is accredited with the ACRRM and the RACGP, with automatic CPD points notification to the colleges for eligible doctors. A Certificate of Completion is issued at the end of each module for learner portfolios. Courses are free of charge with registration for RDN WebEd required to access the educational modules. Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Arna Wotherspoon Tel 02 4924 8000 Email rdnwebed@nswrdn.com.au Web www.nswrdn.com.au/rdnwebed RDN WebEd www.rdnwebed.com.au
NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK CPD CONFERENCES 2018 16 - 18 March 26 - 26 May 10 - 11 August 30 November - 2 December
Refresher Conference Procedural Conference - Obstetrics Procedural Conference - Obstetrics Rural GPs Conference
For the latest CPD events schedule go to www.nswrdn.com.au/cpd-conferences 2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 21
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Several of the conferences are held in holiday style locations with special attention given to children and spouses. Family programs are aligned with superb, eclectic CPD sessions for the doctors.
A range of courses is available through RDN WebEd to support rural NSW health professionals and practices in non-clinical aspects of their roles. They include topics such as understanding MBS guidelines and billing, orientation for GPs who are new to rural general practice, and recruitment skills and tools.
TRAINING PROGRAMS Rural Medical Training Forum Chaired by the CEO of the NSW Rural Doctors Network, the NSW Rural Medical Training Forum (RMTF) facilitates the development of a vertically integrated rural medical education and training system, from medical school through education of high school students through to vocational training and Continuing Professional Development, to underpin a sustainable rural medical workforce in NSW. The RMTF includes representatives from the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council, Australian College of Rural and Remote General Practitioners, Australian Commonwealth Department of Health, GP Synergy - Regional Training Organisation, Health Education and Training Institute, NSW/ ACT Medical Schools, NSW Ministry of Health, NSW Rural Doctors Network, Regional Health Training Hubs, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Royal Australian College of Physicians, Rural Clinical Schools, Rural Local Health Districts, University Centres for Rural Health and University Departments of Rural Health. The forum incorporates all major stakeholders in rural medical education and training and is therefore in a unique position to facilitate vertical integration and regional coordination. Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Tel 02 8337 8100 Email students@nswrdn.com.au
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AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICE TRAINING The Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program is an Australian Government initiative that provides vocational training for medical graduates wishing to specialise in general practice. The two endpoints of the AGPT program are the Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM) and the Fellowship of the Royal Australia College of General Practitioners (FRACGP). GP Synergy is contracted by the Department of Health to administer the AGPT program. GP Synergy delivers GP training in each of the three training regions in NSW and ACT including Western NSW, North Eastern NSW and Lower Eastern NSW. Further information Australian General Practice Training Freecall 1800 372 478 Email AGPTSelection@health.gov.au Web www.agpt.com.au
HEALTH EDUCATION AND TRAINING INSTITUTE
NSW INTERDISCIPLINARY CLINICAL TRAINING NETWORKS
The Health Education and Training Institute leads, facilitates and coordinates strategic investment and innovation in education and training in the NSW Health system. It is responsible for assuring workforce competency and the capacity to deliver safe, effective and efficient health care to the people of NSW.
NSW Interdisciplinary Clinical Training Networks (ICTN) provide a forum for strategic planning and dialogue between education providers and health service providers to build capacity and foster excellence in clinical placements for health professionals in NSW.
HETI provides leadership and works closely with Local Health Districts, Specialty Health Networks, other public health organisations and health education and training providers across NSW. Further information
The program comprises eight ICTNs throughout NSW, aligned according to the boundaries of their member Local Health Districts. These include Sydney ICTN, West ICTN, Greater Metro ICTN, Hunter and Coast ICTN, North Coast ICTN, South Coast ICTN, Riverina ICTN and Broken Hill Region ICTN. Further information NSW Interdisciplinary Clinical Training Networks Gladesville Hospital Shea Close Gladesville NSW 2111 Locked Bag 5022 Gladesville NSW 1675 Tel 02 9844 6524 Fax 02 9844 6544 Email heti-ictn@heti.nsw.gov.au Web www.heti.nsw.gov.au/ictn
Health Education and Training Institute Building 12, Gladesville Hospital Shea Close Gladesville NSW 2111 Locked Bag 5022 Gladesville NSW 1675 Statewide Service Desk 1300 285 533 Tel 02 9844 6551 Fax 02 9844 6544 Email heti-info@health.nsw.gov.au Web www.heti.nsw.gov.au
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The role of HETI is to coordinate education and training across the whole NSW Public Health System. This builds on the work of predecessor organisations: Clinical Education and Training Institute, NSW Institute of Medical Education and Training and NSW Institute of Rural Clinical Services and Teaching. On 1 January 2017, the former NSW Institute of Psychiatry merged with HETI and HETI added Higher Education courses to the array of its services.
NSW REGIONAL TRAINING ORGANISATION GP Synergy is currently responsible for delivering GP training in each of the following three training regions in NSW & ACT: – Western NSW – North Eastern NSW – Lower Eastern NSW Western New South Wales GP Synergy Tel 02 9818 4433 Email applicant@gpsynergy.com.au Web gpsynergy.com.au North Eastern New South Wales GP Synergy Tel 02 9818 4433 Email applicant@gpsynergy.com.au Web gpsynergy.com.au Lower Eastern New South Wales GP Synergy Tel 02 9818 4433 Email applicant@gpsynergy.com.au Web gpsynergy.com.au Further information GP Synergy Head Office PO Box 3398 Liverpool Westfield NSW 2170 Tel 1300 477 963 Fax 02 9756 5755 Email info@gpsynergy.com.au Web www.gpsynergy.com.au
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ROYAL AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is one of two colleges in Australia responsible for setting professional medical standards for training, assessment, certification and continuing professional development in the general practice specialty.
The College’s main responsibilities lie in the academic definition of General Practice, resulting academic curriculum and research agenda, assessment of readiness for General Practice, the development of practice standards, the promotion of high quality patient care, and the provision of professional leadership, advocacy, and member services, resources and support. RACGP representatives are involved in a broad range of external positions enabling the College to significantly influence the general practice environment. National, state level and internal College committees work in areas such as standards, research, quality care and education to support GPs and advance high quality general practice. Individually, and with other general practice organisations, the College influences government policy and strategy directions for general practice and primary health care in the areas of education, standards, quality of care and research. Fellowship of the College (FRACGP) can be gained via Training, Practice Eligible or Performance Based Assessment routes.
Further information RACGP National Office RACGP College House 100 Wellington Pde East Melbourne VIC 3002 Freecall 1800 472 247 Tel 03 8699 0414 Email racgp@racgp.org.au Web www.racgp.org.au
RACGP National Rural Faculty With more than 16,000 members, approximately 7,700 of whom are registered GPs in rural and remote Australia, the National Rural Faculty (NRF) supports and advocates for GPs working in rural and remote Australia. Membership of the NRF is automatic for all RACGP members practising in rural and remote Australia. The NRF has representatives on all state Faculty Boards and a seat on the RACGP Council, thereby ensuring that rural members’ interests are actively represented and rural perspectives incorporated at all levels of the College. The NRF delivers education, training and quality assurance services to rural GPs. The Faculty operates the Australian Government’s Training for Rural and Remote Procedural GPs Program in conjunction with ACRRM. This program offers financial support to rural and remote procedural and emergency medicine GPs to access skills maintenance and upskilling.
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The College was formed in 1958 and represents more than 33,000 members including 22,500 GPs in Australia. The RACGP researches, lobbies and advocates on issues that influence GPs and their practices.
Fellowship is linked to vocational recognition as a GP by Medicare Australia, which is maintained via ongoing participation in designated quality assurance and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs.
The NRF provides Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice/Graduate Diploma in Rural General Practice for FRACGP candidates undertaking rural and advanced rural skills training and contributes to the work of committees in areas such as obstetrics, anaesthetics, emergency medicine and surgery. The Fellowship/Graduate Diploma is also available to GPs who are not in a formal training program but who already have, or are working towards, FRACGP.
Further information RACGP National Faculty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Freecall 1800 000 251 Email aboriginalhealth@racgp.org.au Web www.racgp.org.au/yourracgp/ faculties/aboriginal/
RACGP NSW & ACT Faculty
The Faculty works closely with other rural organisations to progress workforce and rural health service issues and was a founding member of the National Rural Health Alliance.
The RACGP NSW & ACT Faculty is committed to advocating for its college members and provides members with opportunities for participation, quality education, and collegiality.
Further information
Further information
RACGP National Rural Faculty Freecall 1800 636 764 Fax 03 8699 0598 Email rural@racgp.org.au Web www.racgp.org.au/yourracgp/ faculties/rural/
RACGP National Faculty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health RACGP is committed to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by raising awareness of their health needs. As a result, the RACGP National Faculty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health formed to help ‘close the gap’. This Faculty advocates for culturally appropriate health delivery systems that will improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
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RACGP NSW & ACT Faculty Level 7, 12 Mount St PO Box 534 North Sydney NSW 2060 Tel 02 9886 4700 Fax 02 9886 4790 Email nswact.faculty@racgp.org.au Web www.racgp.org.au/yourracgp/faculties/ nswact
REMOTE VOCATIONAL TRAINING SCHEME
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is a not-for-profit professional organisation responsible for training, educating and representing more than 15,000 physicians and paediatricians, and 7,500 trainees in Australia and New Zealand.
The Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RTVS) is a vocational training program for medical practitioners in remote and isolated communities throughout rural and remote Australia. The purpose of the program is to train doctors in remote communities for remote communities. The training provided meets the requirements for Fellowship of both ACRRM and RACGP.
The RACP is responsible for training and assessment of doctors who wish to become physicians or paediatricians. It is also responsible for providing a program of continuing professional development for Fellows of the College. The RACP represents physicians and paediatricians by advocating on their behalf of physicians to governments, health organisations, medical colleges, consumer groups and to the general public. Further information Royal Australasian College of Physicians 145 Macquarie St Sydney NSW 2000 Tel 02 9256 5444 Email racp@racp.edu.au Web www.racp.edu.au
The goals of the RVTS are to: • facilitate access to vocational training by all doctors across Australia • contribute to the recruitment and retention of rural and remote doctors • improve the quality of services available to remote communities by enabling access to vocational training and ensuring continuity of medical services. The four year program delivers structured distance education and supervision to doctors while they continue to provide general medical services to a remote and/or isolated community. The RVTS has benefitted more than 100 rural and remote communities nationwide, and has become an integral part of the general practice vocational training structure in Australia. Further information Remote Vocational Training Scheme PO Box 37 Albury NSW 2640 Tel 02 6057 3400 Fax 02 6041 5149 Email rvts@rvts.org.au Web www.rvts.org.au
2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 27
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
ROYAL AUSTRALASIAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS
Students
RDN Medical Cadet, Dr Lars Newman, Dubbo Hospital NSW
SCHOLARSHIPS NSW Rural Doctors Network offers medical students a range of scholarship assistance. Bush Bursaries & Country Women’s Association Scholarships.
NSW Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetships Funded by NSW Ministry of Health (MoH), 12 cadetships are offered each year to students embarking on the last two years of their medical degree. Cadets receive up to $15,000 per year for their final two years of study before completing two of their first three postgraduate years in an eligible base hospital west of the Great Dividing Range. Cadetships are available to medical students studying at a medical school in NSW or students who are studying medicine interstate and completed Year 12 in NSW.
NSW Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetships for Indigenous Medical Students Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students who are interested in rural medicine and are studying in NSW or who completed
Additional benefits to becoming a cadet include contribution to relocation costs and participation in NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) conferences and networking weekends. The cadetship is funded by NSW MoH and administered by RDN.
Travel and Accommodation Subsidies NSW Rural Doctors Network allocates NSW MoH funding to five NSW and ACT medical schools so they can reimburse their medical students for travel and accommodation costs associated with rural placements that are part of their curriculum. NSW Rural Doctors Network.
Scholarships website NSW Rural Doctors Network website has information on all scholarships for students interested in health professional careers including Medicine, Allied Health, Nursing and Indigenous Health. More information: www.nswrdn.com.au/rdn-scholarships Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Christal Cheung Tel 02 8337 8100 Email students@nswrdn.com.au
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STUDENTS
The Bush Bursaries and Country Women’s Association (CWA) Scholarships are funded by individual rural Councils and the CWA of NSW respectively. Offered to students studying at NSW and ACT medical schools, successful applicants receive $3,000 and spend a two week placement in rural NSW during their scholarship year, typically in the shire of their sponsoring region. The rural placement allows students to experience country life as well as rural medical practice.
Year 12 in NSW can apply for this cadetship. Cadets receive up to $30,000 over their last two or three years of their medical degree and in return spend two out of their first three postgraduate years at an eligible base hospital west of the Great Dividing Range.
UNIVERSITY RURAL HEALTH CLUBS There are 28 University Rural Health Clubs throughout Australia including 11 in NSW/ACT. Membership of the multidisciplinary Rural Health Clubs is open to health students interested in learning more about what it is like to live and work in a rural area. The clubs provide a forum for group discussion on rural health issues and opportunities to learn about postgraduate careers from rural health professionals. The clubs also hold social events to support students who have come from the country to study in the city.
National Rural Health Students Network The National Rural Health Students Network (NRHSN) has more than 11,000 members and is Australia’s only multi-disciplinary student health network, bringing together people studying medicine, nursing and allied health, encouraging them to pursue rural health careers. The NRHSN provides a communication network between rural health clubs for the sharing of ideas and information, which will empower them to become proactive in issues affecting rural health. In December 2017, the Australian Government Department of Health announced the appointment of the Rural Workforce Agency Network (RWAN) - led by the NSW Rural Doctors Network - to administer the NRHSN from 1 January 2018. National Rural Health Students Network Suite 2, Level 5/10 Queens Rd Melbourne VIC 3004 Tel 03 9860 4700 Fax 03 9820 8383 Email info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au
30 I NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
ARMS – Australian National University ANU Rural Medical Society c/- ANU Medical School Acton ACT 2602 Email info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/arms
CRANC – University of Canberra Canberra Rural Allied-Health and Nursing Collective c/- UCU Ltd LPO Box 5001 University of Canberra Bruce ACT 2617 Email info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/cranc MARHS – Charles Sturt University, Albury Multidisciplinary Albury Rural Health Society Murray Campus Council c/- School of Community Health Charles Sturt University PO Box 789 Albury NSW 2640 Email info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/marhs MIRAGE – University of Sydney Multidisciplinary Interest in Rural and General Health Education School of Rural Health Orange University of Sydney PO Box 1191 Orange NSW 2800 Email info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/mirage 2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 31
STUDENTS
BREAATHHE – University of Newcastle Bringing Rural Experience And Awareness To Hunter Health Education The Discipline of General Practice University of Newcastle Callaghan NSW 2308 Email info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/breaathhe
NERCHA – University of New England New England Rural Club for Health Alliance c/- School of Health, Room N.15 University of New England Armidale NSW 2351 Email info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/nercha RAHMS - University of New South Wales Rural Health Union of Western Sydney University College of Health and Science Building 3, Campbelltown Campus Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Email info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/rahms RHUWS – Western Sydney University Rural Health Union of Western Sydney University College of Health and Science Building 3, Campbelltown Campus University of Western Sydney Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Email info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/rhuws/ ROUNDS – University of Notre Dame Rural Health Club of the University of Notre Dame Sydney PO Box 944 Broadway NSW 2010 Email info@info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/rounds SHARP – University of Wollongong Student Health Alliance for Rural Populations Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences University of Wollongong Northfields Ave Wollongong NSW 2522 Email info@info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/sharp
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WARRIAHS - Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga WARRIAHS – Charles Sturt University Wagga Area Regional, Remote and Indigenous Allied Health Service Charles Sturt University Locked Bag 588 Wagga Wagga NSW 2678 Email info@nrhsn.org.au Web www.nrhsn.org.au/warriahs
UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS OF RURAL HEALTH
Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health (Sydney University) Corrindah Crt Broken Hill Hospital PO Box 457 Broken Hill NSW 2880 Tel 08 8080 1200 Fax 08 8087 5240 Web www.drh.med.usyd.edu.au Three Rivers University Department of Rural Health The Three Rivers UDRH is based at Charles Sturt University in the Riverina and Central West region of NSW and supports allied health, nursing, midwifery and dentistry student placements in regional and rural Australia.
Campuses Lismore University Centre for Rural Health 61 Uralba St PO Box 3074 Lismore NSW 2840 Tel 02 6620 7570 Fax 02 6620 7270 Murwillumbah Murwillumbah District Hospital Ewing St Murwillumbah NSW 2484 Tel 02 6672 1822 Fax 02 6672 0295 Grafton Grafton Rural Referral Hospital Arthur St Grafton NSW 2460 Tel 02 6640 2484 Fax 02 6640 2499
Three Rivers UDRH Charles Sturt University PO Box 789 Albury NSW 2640 Tel 02 6051 9177 Web science.csu.edu.au/UDRH 2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 33
STUDENTS
The University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) in NSW and ACT encourage students of medicine, nursing and other health professions to pursue a career in rural practice by providing opportunities for students to practise their clinical skills in a rural environment. They also support health professionals currently practising in rural settings.
The University Centre for Rural Health North Coast The Northern Rivers UDRH is a joint venture of the University of Sydney and Southern Cross University. The universities of Sydney, Wollongong and Western Sydney are also in partnership for “long stay” medical students. Web www.ucrh.edu.au
The University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health The Newcastle UDRH incorporates the former Rural Clinical Training and Support (RCTS). Web www.newcastle.edu.au/drh Campuses Tamworth Tamworth Education Centre 114-148 Johnston St Tamworth NSW 2340 Tel 02 6755 3500 Fax 02 6761 2355 Email studentplacementstamworth@ newcastle.edu.au Armidale 210a Rusden St PO Box 701 Armidale NSW 2350 Tel 02 6773 0100 Fax 02 6771 1378 Email studentplacementsarmidale@ newcastle.edu.au Taree Manning Education Centre 69A High St Taree NSW 2430 Tel 02 4055 1900 Fax 02 6515 1901 Email studentplacementstaree@ newcastle.edu.au Moree Moree Education Centre Victoria Tce PO Box 138 Moree NSW 2400 Tel 02 6757 0090 Fax 02 6757 3655 Email studentplacementsmoree@ newcastle.edu.au
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RURAL CLINICAL SCHOOLS Rural Clinical Training and Support The Rural Clinical Training and Support (RCTS) program is the amalgamation of the Rural Clinical School and Rural Undergraduate Support and Coordination programs. This program continues to be delivered through the existing Rural Clinical Schools. The RCTS program is designed to increase the rural medical workforce by enlisting Australian medical schools to deliver rural medical training, to recruit rural medical students, promote and encourage rural medical careers and increase opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The program also seeks to have a more immediate impact on the rural medical workforce by encouraging health professionals to take up rural academic positions, often through joint funding arrangements with Local Health Districts. The development of rural medical training infrastructure, including new educational facilities and student accommodation, is also a major aspect of the program.
The Australian National University Rural Clinical School Building 42 Australian National University ACT 0200 Tel 02 6125 2456 Email rcs@anu.edu.au Web medicalschool.anu.edu.au/research/ rural-clinical-school Campuses Bega Cnr McKee Dr & Spindler St Bega NSW 2550 Tel 02 6494 7263
Albury Wodonga 559 East St Albury NSW 2640 Tel 02 6042 1311 Coffs Harbour 345 Pacific Hwy Coffs Harbour NSW 2450 Tel 02 6652 0411 Griffith PO Box 2375 Griffith NSW 2680 Tel 02 6964 4823 Port Macquarie 26 Highfields Crt Port Macquarie NSW 2444 Tel 02 6580 7520
STUDENTS
Cooma 2A Bent St Cooma NSW 2630 Tel 02 6452 5902
Campuses
Eurobodalla 7 Pacific St PO Box 1221 Batemans Bay NSW 2536 Tel 02 4472 3971
Wagga Wagga PO Box 5695 Wagga Wagga NSW 2656 Tel 02 6933 5111
Goulburn 130 Goldsmith St Goulburn NSW 2580 Tel 02 4822 9018
The University of Sydney Rural Clinical School Email ruralinfo@sydney.edu.au Web www.dubbo.med.usyd.edu.au
Young 73 Lynch St Young NSW 2594 Tel 02 6382 6982
Campuses
The University of New South Wales Rural Clinical School Harvey House Wagga Wagga Rural Referral Hospital Docker St Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Tel 02 6933 5111 Web www.rcs.med.unsw.edu.au
Dubbo 11 Moran Dr Dubbo NSW 2830 Tel 02 5809 9400 Orange Cnr of Acacia Way & Canobolas Dr 1502 Forest Rd Orange NSW 2800 Tel 02 5310 4108
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The University of Western Sydney Rural Clinical School Web www.westernsydney.edu.au/ medicine/som/rural Bathurst Bathurst Rural Referral Hospital 356 Howick St Bathurst NSW 2795 Tel 02 6330 5601 Lismore North Coast Medical Education Collaboration61 Uralba St Lismore NSW 2480 Tel 02 6620 7570 The University of Wollongong Graduate School of Medicine Building 28 University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Tel 02 4221 4111 Fax 02 4221 4341 Email gm-info@uow.edu.au Web www.uow.edu.au/gsm The University of Notre Dame Rural Clinical School The University of Notre Dame Rural Clinical School is part of the School of Medicine, Sydney Web www.nd.edu.au/sydney/schools/medicine Campuses Lithgow Col Drewe Dr Lithgow NSW 2790 PO Box 3003 Bowenfels NSW 2790 Tel 02 8204 4158 Wagga Wagga Grounds of Calvary Health Care Riverina Hardy Ave Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Tel 02 8204 4109
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JOHN FLYNN PLACEMENT PROGRAM The John Flynn Placement Program (JFPP) is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health designed to attract the future medical workforce into a remote and rural career. The program provides 300 undergraduate medical students with the opportunity to experience clinical practice and lifestyle in remote and rural locations across Australia. Successful eligible applicants, from 20 participating universities, spend eight weeks over three to four years in a remote or rural community with a one-to-one professional mentor, community host and contact. The Rural Health Workforce Agency Network administers the JFPP - led by Health Workforce Queensland - in each state and territory via Local Coordination Teams. Further information John Flynn Placement Program c/-Health Workforce Queensland GPO Box 2523 Brisbane QLD 4001 Tel 1800 231 231 Email jfpp@healthworkforce.com.au Web www.jfpp.com.au
Overseas Trained Doctors
Dr Alamgir with patient, Quirindi Hospital NSW
OVERSEAS TRAINED DOCTOR RESOURCES Five Year OTD Recruitment Scheme The Five Year Overseas Trained Doctor (OTD) Recruitment Scheme is a Department of Health (DoH) scheme that provides eligible OTDs with a pathway to permanent Australian residency and a reduction in the OTDs’ 10-year moratorium on Medicare provider numbers. OTDs applying to join this program must undertake to obtain specialist qualifications as a GP within two years of enrolment (and must be eligible to do so). Applicants must also meet the Permanent Residency and time requirements in an eligible location in NSW. Provided the criteria is satisfied, OTDs can apply to join the five year scheme regardless of how they have been recruited. Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Workforce Development & Recruitment Team Tel 02 4924 8000 Email rhwprograms@nswrdn.com.au
Rural Locum Relief Program Doctors who are Australian citizens or permanent residents must be vocationally registered or have Fellowship of an Australian College of General Practice to obtain a Medicare provider number. Doctors who are not vocationally registered or fellowed and have completed their internship since 1 November 1996 may access the Rural Locum Relief Program (RLRP) which is administered by NSW RDN. RLRP enables these doctors to access a Medicare provider number and work in a designated rural area known as a District of Workforce Shortage – see next section. To be eligible for a provider number through the RLRP, doctors must: • have medical registration appropriate to the position, • have the skills and experience appropriate for General Practice, and • be willing and able to work in an eligible rural area. Program participants are expected, and must be eligible, to gain specialist registration within four years of enrolling on the RLRP. Note: New Zealand Citizens are considered to be Temporary Residents of Australia for Medicare purposes. Medicare restrictions may differ for New Zealand Citizens. Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Workforce Development & Recruitment Tel 02 4924 8000 Email recruit@nswrdn.com.au
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DOCTORCONNECT The DoctorConnect website was developed by the Australian Government Department of Health (DoH) to assist doctors trained outside of Australia or doctors interested in incentives to work in regional, rural and remote Australia as well as Australian medical employers.
OVERSEAS TRAINED DOCTORS
While continuing to actively address the shortage of Australian trained doctors, the Department is also attending to the immediate medical needs of those communities in areas of workforce shortage through other initiatives, including the recruitment of appropriately qualified Overseas Trained Doctors (OTDs). Further information DoctorConnect Web www.doctorconnect.gov.au
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Rural Workforce Planning and Support
Bathurst NSW
RURAL WORKFORCE PLANNING Policy & Research RDN has considerable opportunity to comment on and influence policies at a regional, state and national level, to improve the supply and maintenance of appropriately skilled medical practitioners in rural NSW. This includes participating in negotiations on national registration initiatives.
RDN carries out research and evaluation to underpin the operation of its core programs and as a basis for developing new programs.
• Rural Workforce Agencies Minimum Data Set Report (2017) • Annual Report (2017) • Rural NSW GP Vacancies (2017) • 25 years on: Outcomes of a longitudinal evaluation of the NSW Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship Program (2016) • Outreach health services fill the gaps (2015) • Chronic kidney disease in an Aboriginal population: A nurse practitioner-led approach to management (2015) • New GP Orientation Handbook (2016)
Initiatives aimed at improving recruitment and retention strategies are actively developed, for instance, evaluating scholarship programs administered by RDN to encourage medical students to practise in rural areas after graduating.
• Detecting and preventing cervical cancer: a nurse-led model for rural Aboriginal women (2015)
RDN also uses its knowledge of rural workforce issues to collaborate with universities on research projects, for instance, research into OTDs and research to promote rural health services and policy.
• Outreach (2014)
RDN continues to build relationships with other organisations and associations such as the universities, Primary Health Networks, the Regional Training Organisation and NSW Rural Doctors Association. These relationships ensure a collaborative approach towards the operational aspects of rural health as a whole and the enhancement of health status of all rural and remote communities in NSW.
• NSW Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship Program Longitudinal Evaluation (2014)
• Rural Health Professionals Program (2014) • Pathways to recognition as a GP in Australia (2013) • Strategic Plan (2016-2019) • Experience Life as a GP in Rural NSW (2011) • GP Earnings: What a GP in Rural NSW can expect to earn (2011) • We want a Doctor…Let’s mobilise our Community! (2011)
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RURAL WORKFORCE PLANNING AND SUPPORT
RDN is committed to developing evidencebased policies and programs that support existing rural GPs and their families, potential rural GPs and rural communities.
RDN publishes an extensive list of papers and publications, including:
• We want a Doctor...Then start with a Student (2010) • Aboriginal Medical Services Manual (2010) • We want a Doctor…But does a Doctor want us? (2008) • The 1987 NSW Rural Doctors Dispute (2007) • NSW Rural General Practice Workforce Strategy - What can we do? (2007) • Rural GPs’ experiences of Planning for Succession (2007) • The Rural Road Travelled (2006) • GP Recruitment Guide (2006) • Postgraduate medical placements in rural areas (2006) • Easy Entry, Gracious Exit (2003) Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Tel 02 4924 8000
Districts of Workforce Shortage District of Workforce Shortage (DWS) is a geographic area in which there are insufficient doctors for the population’s need. DWS status is determined by the Australian Government on the basis of the doctor to population ratio in the town and is reviewed annually. Doctors affected by the 10-year moratorium must work in a DWS location in order to obtain a Medicare provider number. More information on DWS is available on the DoctorConnect website at www.doctorconnect.gov.au. You can also check the DWS status of a location/locality on the DoctorConnect website by entering the address of the location into the Locator Map and then selecting the ‘District of Workforce Shortage’ layer.
Australian Statistical Geography Classification The Australian Standard Geographical Classification - Remoteness Areas (ASGCRA) is an Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) geographic classification system which allows quantitative comparisons between ‘city’ and ‘country’ Australia. The purpose of the structure is to classify data into broad geographical categories, called Remoteness Areas (RAs), which are defined in terms of the physical distance of a location from the nearest ‘Urban Centre’ based on population size. The ASGC-RA of a town can be determined by searching the DoctorConnect map at www.doctorconnect.gov.au The ASGC uses the latest residential population data from the 2011 Census to determine the five remoteness categories. The ASGC-RA is used in conjunction with the Modified Monash Model (MMM) remoteness structure to better target health related resources in rural and remote Australia.
42 I NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
Modified Monash Model The Modified Monash Model (MMM) is a new remoteness area classification system that better categorises metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas according to both geographical remoteness and town size. The system was introduced on 1 July 2015 to recognise the challenges in attracting health workers to more remote and smaller communities and to provide fairer incentives to doctors in these towns.
Data RDN maintains rural primary health workforce data for NSW. Data is collected through a variety of sources, including surveys, information uploads, contractual program reporting requirements and routine updates from other reliable sources. Data is also routinely monitored for quality. RDN datasets include: • GP Workforce Data: RDN facilitates the collection of GP workforce data for aggregation to the Rural Workforce Agencies (RWAs) Minimum Data Set. A GP survey is conducted each August, and is supplemented by two Practice Manager surveys conducted in March and October. Surveying is carried out according to an evidence based methodology which is designed to maximise effectiveness.
These datasets are used in conjunction with other reliable sources of data to inform primary health workforce needs assessment and planning for rural NSW. On request, these datasets can be used to provide current in-depth data regarding rural health workforce to report on workforce trends and to respond to requests from external stakeholders. Information is not identifiable by person and can only be made available for reasonable use and through authorisation by RDN management. Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Mike Edwards Tel 02 8337 8100 Email medwards@nswrdn.com.au
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RURAL WORKFORCE PLANNING AND SUPPORT
The MMM uses the ASGC-RA as a base and can be applied to a town by searching the DoctorConnect map at www.doctorconnect.gov.au
• Medical and Allied Health Outreach Data: RDN facilitates the collection of Department of Health (DoH) funded outreach data that is both qualitative and quantitative. Funded services and health outreach providers are contracted to provide information at a minimum every quarter. Data includes service type and location, frequency, occasions of service for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients, clinic hours, upskilling provision and cost. The dataset was established in 2010.
RURAL WORKFORCE SUPPORT Locum Program The NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) locum service facilitates short term locum relief for permanent GPs located in rural NSW RA2-5 locations, with an aim of improving retention of rural GPs. The locum service: • is free-of-charge for both rural practices and locum doctors • sources and matches locums with suitable practices and locum matching service links • provides incentives for eligible placements which include travel subsidies, remote locum attraction subsidies and CPD vouchers for locum doctors to attend RDN GP Conferences. Further Information NSW Rural Doctors Network Workforce Development & Recruitment Team Tel 02 4924 8000 Email locums@nswrdn.com.au
Outreach Program RDN’s Outreach Program aims to increase access to health services for people living in rural areas and Aboriginal communities by delivering clinics that reduce access barriers, including: • distance and disruption from travel to major centres; • cost and economic hurdles; • cultural safety barriers; and • by strengthening local service capacity through upskilling.
44 I NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
The Outreach Program supports rural communities and Aboriginal people to access a wide range of health services that comprise medical specialists, allied health practitioners, nurses and Aboriginal health workers. This is achieved by working in partnership with local organisations to support visiting health practitioners who currently provide over 1,300 outreach services. More than 160 towns and communities in NSW and the ACT receive visiting services that are supported by the Outreach Program. Improved access is achieved by removing some of the most common barriers that many patients experience through the following: • The provision of services in regional and remote locations and via telehealth to minimise the time, travel cost and disruption often required of patients to access the nearest alternative service that may be hundreds of kilometres away. • Prioritising support for services that are bulk-billed or free of charge in order to remove financial hurdles that rural and Aboriginal patients often face. • Delivering culturally safe services to reduce cultural barriers that Aboriginal patients might otherwise experience. When appropriate, outreach services are hosted by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) and visiting health practitioners are supported to undertake cultural training and local community orientation. • Supporting clinical up-skilling sessions that are provided by visiting health practitioners to strengthen the capacity of local health services and practitioners to manage patients’ ongoing care.
In addition to increased patient access, the Outreach Program provides urban and regionally based health practitioners with the opportunity to experience working in a rural or Aboriginal community. In some cases, this has resulted in health practitioners relocating permanently to rural locations. The program also supports health science students and medical registrars to participate in outreach clinics and gain exposure to rural and Aboriginal health.
RDN’s Outreach Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and currently comprises four individual programs. Information about each program, their focus and eligibility is provided below. Rural Health Outreach Fund (RHOF) – Supports multidisciplinary teams and individual health practitioners to provide services to regional or remote communities within ASGC RA 2-5 locations. RHOF services focus on the following health needs: • Maternity and paediatric health; • Eye health; • Mental health; and • Support for chronic disease management.
Healthy Ears, Better Hearing, Better Listening (HEBHBL) – Funds multidisciplinary teams and individual health practitioners to support the prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and management of ear health and hearing conditions in Aboriginal children and youth (up to 21 years). Aboriginal communities located in regional, remote and urban areas (ASGC RA1-5) are eligible to receive HEBHBL services. Visiting Optometrist Scheme (VOS) – First established in 1975, VOS supports optometrists to deliver outreach optometric services to remote and very remote locations, and rural communities with an identified need for optometric services. VOS was expanded in 2009-10 to provide increased optometry services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Coordination of Indigenous Eye Health Project – This project aims to improve access to eye care for Aboriginal patients across NSW and the ACT. Activities involve the development of consultative partnerships, identification of gaps or barriers to access to eye care services and implementation of solutions where needed. This includes enhancing linkages between visiting eye health related services delivered through MOICDP, RHOF, VOS and EESSS in addition to existing available eye care services.
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RDN holds partnerships with more than 60 health organisations that implement the local delivery of outreach services. RDN’s local partners include ACCHSs, Local Health Districts, Primary Health Networks and other health organisations.
Medical Outreach Indigenous Chronic Disease Program (MOICDP) – Supports multidisciplinary teams and individual health practitioners to provide services to Aboriginal patients in regional, remote and urban locations (ASGC RA1-5). MOICDP focuses on addressing chronic conditions that have been or are likely to be present for six months or more.
Ear and Eye Surgical Support Service (EESSS) - The service aims to expedite access to surgical interventions for Indigenous Australians with diagnosed ear and eye conditions, such as otitis media and cataracts, who are awaiting surgery. There is no age restriction for access to ear and eye surgery through the EESSS. Chronic Disease Management and Prevention Program (CDMPP) – The program aims to provide chronic disease management and prevention for adults (aged 15 and over) within general practice. To be eligible for this program, patients must have a GP management plan, a GP referral, and two or more chronic diseases. The CDMPP is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and commissioned by the Western NSW PHN. RDN have been appointed by the lead agency, NSW Outback Division of General Practice, to deliver allied health services in Western and Far West NSW. Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Sharif Bagnulo Tel 02 8337 8100 Email outreach@nswrdn.com.au
Rural Vacancies Website RDN provides a free online advertising service through its website for health vacancies located in rural and remote NSW (RA 2-5 locations). Employers, doctors, Local Health Districts, Primary Health Networks and local communities can advertise their permanent General Practice, nursing and allied health vacancies free of charge at www.nswrdn.com.au
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Nursing and allied health positions must be predominately primary health care focused (more than 50%). The RDN website is the most widely used advertising resource for GPs in rural NSW. Applicants are encouraged to use RDN’s online application process for advertised vacancies. Overseas Trained Doctors are encouraged to check they have appropriate qualifications and experience to work in rural NSW before applying. Further information GP Recruitment Email medirec@nswrdn.com.au Nursing and Allied Health Recruitment Email nah@nswrdn.com.au
NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
RURAL LOCUM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM The Rural Locum Assistance Program (Rural LAP) is a nationwide program supporting the rural health workforce by facilitating leave for rural obstetricians, anaesthetists, proceduralist GPs (obstetrics and anaesthetics), nurses, midwives and allied health professionals.
Rural LAP replaces the former Nursing and Allied Health Rural Locum Scheme (NAHRLS), the Rural Obstetric and Anaesthetic Locum Scheme (ROALS) and the Rural Locum Education Assistance Programme (Rural LEAP). Further information Rural LAP Tel 1800 RURAL LAP (78725 527) Fax 02 6108 3510 Email enquiries@rurallap.com.au Web www.rurallap.com.au
The NSW Rural Medical Family Network (RMFN) is a program operated by the NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) to address the needs of NSW rural medical spouses and their families. The program recognises the importance of a whole of family approach to securing and retaining a GP. RMFN also offers an opportunity for students to experience rural life and general practice, facilitating semester break placements with rural GPs. Whether a rural medical family of many years or just starting out in country life, RMFN can help through providing: • family programs at RDN CPD conference weekends • a ‘friendship network’ through Facebook to lessen feelings of loneliness and isolation experienced by some rural families • free membership to RMFN for partners and families of rural GPs. Further information NSW Rural Doctors Network Workforce Development & Recruitment Tel 02 4924 8000 Email rmfn@nswrdn.com.au Web www.nswrdn.com.au/rmfn
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Rural LAP also provides financial assistance to urban GPs who require emergency training in return for undertaking paid general practice locum placements in rural and remote Australia for a total 20 working days within a 2-year period.
RURAL MEDICAL FAMILY NETWORK
Aboriginal Health
Healthy Mob Living - Good Medicine, Good Tucker by Zona Kelly, Wollotuka
ABORIGINAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL The Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of New South Wales (AH&MRC) is the peak representative body and voice of Aboriginal communities on health in NSW. The AH&MRC represents its members, the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs), that deliver culturally appropriate comprehensive primary health care to their communities. ABORIGINAL HEALTH
The purpose of the AH&MRC is to: • lead the Aboriginal health agenda for better policies, programs, services and practices • ensure Aboriginal knowledge informs decision-making processes • support, strengthen and sustain ACCHSs. The AH&MRC is governed by a Board of Directors, who are Aboriginal people elected by its members on a regional basis. The AH&MRC represents, supports and advocates for its members and their communities on Aboriginal health issues on a state and national level. Further information Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council PO Box 1565 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 Level 3/66 Wentworth Ave Surry Hills NSW 2010 Tel 02 9212 4777 Fax 02 9212 7211 Email ahmrc@ahmrc.org.au Web www.ahmrc.org.au
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ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY CONTROLLED HEALTH SERVICES Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) are major providers of health services in many rural and remote areas. Their importance in treating Aboriginal people is well recognised. Currently there are 45 ACCHS in NSW who are members of the AH&MRC. Aboriginal Medical Service Cooperative Redfern 36 Turner St Redfern NSW 2016 Tel 02 9319 5823 Web amsredfern.org.au Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service Incorporated PO Box 3040 Albury NSW 2640 Tel 02 6040 1200 Web awahs.com.au Armajun Aboriginal Health Service PO Box 27 Inverell NSW 2360 Tel 02 6721 9777 Web www.armajun.org.au Awabakal Newcastle Aboriginal Cooperative 64 Hanell Street Wickham NSW 2293 Tel 02 4962 2822 Web www.awabakal.org Biripi Aboriginal Corporation Medical Centre 2a Edward Drive Purfleet NSW 2430 Tel 02 6591 2418 Web biripi.org.au Bourke Aboriginal Health Service PO Box 362 Bourke NSW 2840 Tel 02 6872 3088 Web www.bahs.com.au
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Brewarrina Aboriginal Service PO Box 40 Brewarrina NSW 2839 Tel 02 6839 2150 Web www.bahsl.com.au Brungle Aboriginal Health Service PO Box 707 Tumut NSW 2720 Tel 02 6944 9036 Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 170 South Grafton NSW 2460 Tel 02 6644 3500 Web www.bnmac.com.au Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service PO Box 148 Ballina NSW 2478 Tel 02 6681 5644 Web www.bullinahahs.org.au Condobolin Aboriginal Health Service PO Box 321 Condobolin NSW 2877 Tel 02 6895 4311 Coomealla Health Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 256 Dareton NSW 2717 Tel 03 5027 4226 Web www.chacams.org Coonamble Aboriginal Health Service PO Box 36 Coonamble NSW 2829 Tel 02 6822 5217 Web www.cahs.net.au Cummeragunja Housing & Development Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 421 Moama NSW 2731 Tel 03 5869 3343 Durri Aboriginal Corporation Medical Service PO Box 136 Kempsey NSW 2440 Tel 02 6560 2301 Web durri.org.au/
Galambila Aboriginal Health Service PO Box 1431 Coffs Harbour NSW 2450 Tel 02 6652 0850 Web www.galambila.org Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service PO Box 1424 Griffith NSW 2680 Tel 02 6962 0000 Web gams.org.au
Katungul Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 296 Narooma NSW 2546 Tel 02 4476 2155 Web www.katungul.com.au Murrin Bridge Aboriginal Health Service PO Box 62 Lake Cargelligo NSW 2672 Tel 02 6898 1533 Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 5179 Chittaway Bay NSW 2261 Tel 02 4388 6360 Oolong Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 700 Nowra NSW 2541 Tel 02 4422 0644 Web www.oolonghouse.org.au Orange Aboriginal Health Service PO Box 98 Orange NSW 2800 Tel 02 6393 9000 Web www.oams.net.au
Pius X Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 363 Moree NSW 2400 Tel 02 6752 1099 Web www.piusx.com.au Riverina Medical & Dental Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 458 Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Tel 02 6923 5300 South Coast Aboriginal Medical Service PO Box 548 Nowra NSW 2541 Tel 02 4428 6666 Web www.southcoastams.org.au Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service PO Box 253 Tamworth NSW 2340 Tel 02 6760 2500 Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 290 Campbelltown NSW 2560 Tel 02 4628 4837 Web www.tacams.com.au Tobwabba Aboriginal Medical Service PO Box 48 Forster NSW 2428 Tel 02 6555 6271 Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 3095 Singleton NSW 2330 Tel 02 6571 5111 Web www.ungooroo.com.au Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service PO Box 396 Walgett NSW 2832 Tel 02 6820 3777 Web www.walgettams.com.au
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ABORIGINAL HEALTH
Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service PO Box 1161 South Coast Mail Centre NSW 2521 Tel 02 4229 9495 Web www.illawarraams.com.au
Peak Hill Aboriginal Medical Service PO Box 151 Peak Hill NSW 2869 Tel 02 6869 1640
Walhallow Aboriginal Health Corporation PO Box 129 Caroona NSW 2343 Tel 02 6747 4854 Waminda - South Coast Women’s Health & Welfare Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 978 Nowra NSW 2541 Tel 02 4421 7400 Web www.waminda.org.au Weigelli Centre Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 241 Cowra NSW 2794 Tel 02 6345 1803 Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Services PO Box 236 Wellington NSW 2820 Tel 02 6845 3545 Web www.wachs.net.au Werin Aboriginal Corporation Medical Centre 12/14 Lake Rd Port Macquarie NSW 2444 Tel 02 6589 4000 Yerin Aboriginal Health Services Eleanor Duncan Centre PO Box 466 Wyong NSW 2259 Tel 02 4351 1040 Web www.yerin.org.au Yoorana Gunya Family Healing Centre Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 802 Forbes NSW 2871 Tel 02 6850 1222
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Other Members of the AH&MRC Booroongen Djugun Aboriginal Corporation Locked Mail Bag 2 Kempsey NSW 2440 Tel 02 6560 2100 Link-Up (NSW) PO Box 185 St Mary’s NSW 2760 Freecall 1800 624 332 Tel 02 9421 4700 Web www.linkupnsw.org.au Maayu Mali Centre PO Box 808 Moree NSW 2400 Tel 02 6752 5036 Web www.marrs.org.au Marrin Weejali Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 147 Emerton NSW 2770 Tel 02 9628 3031 Web www.marrinweejali.org.au Namatjira Haven PO Box 14 Alstonville NSW 2477 Tel 02 6628 1098 Web www.namatjirahaven.com Orana Haven Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 165 Brewarrina NSW 2839 Tel 02 6874 4886 Web www.oranahaven.com.au
AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS DOCTORS’ ASSOCIATION
AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS HEALTHINFONET
The Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) is a not-for-profit professional association contributing to equitable health and life outcomes, and the cultural wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet is an Internet resource that aims to inform practice and policy in Indigenous health by making research and other knowledge readily accessible. In this way, HealthInfoNet aims to contribute to ‘closing the gap’ in health between Indigenous and other Australians.
AIDA advocates for improvements in Indigenous health in Australia and encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to work in medicine by supporting Indigenous students and doctors. Further information Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association PO Box 3497 Manuka ACT 2603 Old Parliament House 18 King George Terrace Parkes ACT 2600 Freecall 1800 190 498 Tel 02 6273 5013 Fax 02 6273 5014 Email aida@aida.org.au Web www.aida.org.au
It is an academic unit of Edith Cowan University, Western Australia, and it works in the area of translational research with a population health focus is renowned worldwide. HealthInfoNet encourages and supports information-sharing among practitioners, policy-makers and others working to improve Indigenous health. Its innovative online ‘yarning places’ allow people with common interests and purposes to share information, knowledge and experience from different states, territories, regions and sectors. Further information Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet Edith Cowan University 2 Bradford St Mt Lawley WA 6050 Tel 08 9370 6336 Fax 08 9370 6022 Email healthinfonet@ecu.edu.au Web www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au
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ABORIGINAL HEALTH
AIDA’s goal is to contribute to equitable health and life outcomes and the cultural wellbeing of Indigenous people by reaching population parity of Indigenous medical graduates and supporting a culturally safe health care system.
AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS PSYCHOLOGISTS ASSOCIATION The Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (AIPA) is the national body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychologists in Australia. AIPA aims to provide leadership to achieve equitable participation of Indigenous people within psychology. Currently there are 81 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychologists in Australia, representing just 0.4% of the profession. To achieve parity, psychology needs to increase the number of Indigenous graduates ten-fold. AIPA is committed to: • improving the social and emotional wellbeing and mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by leading the change required to deliver equitable, accessible, sustainable, timely and culturally competent psychological care that respects and promotes their cultural integrity • supporting and formally representing the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychologists and students • supporting Indigenous psychologists through undergraduate and post graduate courses • working toward achieving equity within the profession • developing and delivering professional development activities that increase the cultural competence of the mental health workforce, service delivery and the mental health system overall.
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Membership of AIPA is free and is presently restricted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychologists. Further information Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association c/- Australian Psychological Society PO Box 38 Flinders Lane Post Office Melbourne VIC 8009 Tel 03 8662 6675 Fax 03 9663 6177 Email aipa@psychology.org.au Web www.indigenouspsychology.com.au
BAWRUNGA ABORIGINAL MEDICAL SERVICES Bawrunga Aboriginal Medical Services (BAMS) is an Indigenous owned and managed not-forprofit community organisation providing health and medical clinics in the communities of Dubbo, Gilgandra, Gulargambone, Macksville, Nambucca Heads and Toormina. BAMS’ programs and services include: • primary health preventative programs • Aboriginal child health checks • school programs • diabetic program and health promotion • somestic violence program
Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses (CATSINaM) formally represents Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives throughout the nursing and midwifery professions to governments and organisations in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. CATSINaM is made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives, students of nursing and midwifery and has retired nurses and midwives as associate members. Its primary aim is to increase the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into nursing and midwifery.
• transport assistance
CATSINaM also aims to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing and midwifery students have targeted support and assistance to ensure their access to education is equitable.
• immunisation program.
Further information
Further information
Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives Level 1,15 Lancaster Pl Majura Park ACT 2609 Tel 02 6262 5761 Email catsinam@catsinam.org.au Web www.catsin.org.au
• skin care services • pharmaceutical assistance
Bawrunga Aboriginal Medical Services 1 Marshall Way Nambucca Heads NSW 2448 Tel 02 6568 8144 Fax 02 6568 5369 Email leavina@bawrunga.org.au Web www.bawrunga.org.au
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ABORIGINAL HEALTH
• chronic care plans
CONGRESS OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER NURSES AND MIDWIVES
INDIGENOUS ALLIED HEALTH AUSTRALIA
MAARI MA PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICE
Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) Inc. is a national not-for-profit, member-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health organisation. It aims to advance the health status of Indigenous Australians through contribution to the national health agenda, facilitation of improved education opportunities for, and representation of, Indigenous allied health professionals.
Maari Ma Primary Health Care is an Aboriginal community controlled health organisation dedicated to improving the health outcomes for communities in the far west region of New South Wales with a special focus on Aboriginal health.
As a peak body, IAHA: • provides support and advocacy on behalf of Indigenous allied health professionals and students at the local, regional and national level • builds strong leadership capacity across the allied health and Indigenous health sectors • works closely with organisations, universities and other related sectors to improve health curricula, address allied health workforce issues, and promote allied health careers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples • provides expert advice to governments, allied health professional bodies, educational institutions and the health sector in relation to health policy and issues • develops and maintains strong networks and connections to Indigenous communities to ensure IAHA core objectives are meeting their needs and aspirations • works closely with the health sector and communities to improve access to allied health services. Further information Indigenous Allied Health Australia 6B Thesiger Crt PO Box 323 Deakin West ACT 2600 Tel 02 6285 1010 Fax 02 6260 5581 Email admin@iaha.com.au Web www.iaha.com.au 56 I NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
Maari Ma is lead and governed by an all Aboriginal Board of Directors elected to represent seven communities in the region, being Broken Hill, Ivanhoe, Balranald, Menindee, Wilcannia, Wentworth Shires and Tibooburra. With a special focus on Aboriginal health, Maari Ma is committed to providing a holistic approach that includes physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural and environmental dimensions. Further information Maari Ma Primary Health Care Service 439-443 Argent St Broken Hill NSW 2880 Tel 08 8082 9777 Fax 08 8082 9778 Email info@maarima.com.au Web www.maarima.com.au
NATIONAL ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY CONTROLLED HEALTH ORGANISATION The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) is the peak national body representing 143 Aboriginal community controlled health services on matters relating to Aboriginal health and wellbeing.
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Level 3, 2 Constitution Ave Canberra City ACT 2601 PO Box 130 Civic Square ACT 2608 Tel 02 6246 9300 Fax 02 6248 0744 Email admin@naccho.org.au Web www.naccho.org.au
ABORIGINAL HEALTH
An Aboriginal community controlled health service is a primary health care service initiated and operated by the local Aboriginal community to deliver holistic, comprehensive, and culturally appropriate health care to the community which controls it, through a locally elected Board of Management.
Further information
NACCHO’s work is focused on: • Promoting, developing and expanding the provision of health and wellbeing services through local ACCHSs • Liaison with organisations and governments within both the Aboriginal and nonAboriginal community on health and wellbeing policy and planning issues • Representation and advocacy relating to health service delivery, health information, research, public health, health financing and health programs • Fostering cooperative partnerships and working relationships with agencies that respect Aboriginal community control and holistic concepts of health and wellbeing.
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NATIONAL ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER HEALTH WORKER ASSOCIATION The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Association (NATSIHWA) is the peak professional association for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers (ATSIHWs) in Australia. NATSIHWA was established in 2009 to strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce as part of the Australian Government’s ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative. The objective of NATSIHWA is to assist health workers to deliver holistic health care and to promote better health outcomes to the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Further information National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Association Level 1, Suite 2, 31-37 Townshend St Phillip ACT 2606 PO Box 729 Mawson ACT 2607 Freecall 1800 983 984 Tel 02 6221 9221 Fax 02 6221 9228 Email membership@natsihwa.org.au Web www.natsihwa.org.au
LIME NETWORK The Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network is dedicated to ensuring the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning of Indigenous health in medical education, as well as best practice in the recruitment and retention of Indigenous medical students and trainees. The LIME Network encourages and supports collaboration within and between medical schools in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand and by building linkages with local Indigenous communities and with other health science sectors. LIME aims to: • enable the continuing development and implementation of quality Indigenous health curricula to improve medical education for all medical students • build on and strengthen appropriate recruitment and retention initiatives for Indigenous students • Indigenous health at medical schools • develop pathways for vertical integration of Indigenous health curricula and student recruitment strategies with specialist colleges • strengthen Indigenous health initiatives across health disciplines • facilitate key relationships between Indigenous community controlled health organisations and medical schools to improve collaboration, student placement opportunities and research initiatives. Further information LIME Network Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences University of Melbourne 141 Barry St Carlton VIC 3010 Tel 03 8344 9160 Email lime-network@unimelb.edu.au Web www.limenetwork.net.au
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HEALING FOUNDATION The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that partners with communities to address the ongoing trauma caused by actions such as the forced removal of children from their families.
ABORIGINAL HEALTH
The Healing Foundation works with communities to create a place of safety, providing an environment for Stolen Generations members and their families to speak for themselves, tell their own stories and take charge of their own healing. The organisation is also leading the way in research in to Indigenous healing. The Healing Foundation supports locally-run projects, training and education, research and commemorations. Since starting operations in 2010, the organisation has: • funded more than 100 community organisations to lead and develop healing projects • established a body of evidence with over 20 evaluations and publications • assisted more than 20,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members in their healing journeys • provided grants for local commemorative events. Further information Healing Foundation PO Box 4363 Kingston ACT 2604 Unit 11 (Level 2) 11 National Cct Barton ACT 2600 Tel 02 6272 7500 Fax 02 6272 7599 Email info@healingfoundation.org.au Web www.healingfoundation.org.au
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National and State Based Organisations
Blast Furnace, Lithgow NSW
• have offices in each State and Territory where the public can make notifications about a registered health practitioner or student
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is responsible for the registration and accreditation of health professions across Australia. AHPRA supports the 15 National Boards that are responsible for regulating health professions.
• on behalf of the Boards, manage investigations into the professional conduct, performance or health of registered health practitioners, except in NSW where this is undertaken by the Health Professional Councils Authority and the Health Care Complaints Commission and QLD where this may be undertaken by the Queensland Health Ombudsman
The National Boards are: • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia • Chinese Medicine Board of Australia • Chiropractic Board of Australia • Dental Board of Australia • Medical Board of Australia • Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia • Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia • Occupational Therapy Board of Australia • Optometry Board of Australia • Osteopathy Board of Australia
• publish national registers of practitioners so information about the registration of individual health practitioners is available to the public • work with the Health Complaints Commissions in each State and Territory to make sure the appropriate organisation investigates community concerns about individual, registered health practitioners • support the Boards in the development of registration standards, and codes and guidelines
• Pharmacy Board of Australia
• provide advice to Ministerial Council about the administration of the national registration and accreditation scheme.
• Physiotherapy Board of Australia
Further information
• Podiatry Board of Australia
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency Level 51, 680 George St Sydney NSW 2000 GPO Box 9958 Sydney NSW 2001 Freecall 1300 419 495 Web www.ahpra.gov.au
• Paramedicine Board of Australia
• Psychology Board of Australia. The role of AHPRA is to: • support the National Boards in their primary role of protecting the public • manage the registration processes for health practitioners and students around Australia
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NATIONAL AND STATE BASED ORGANISATIONS
AUSTRALIAN HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION AGENCY
MEDICAL BOARD OF AUSTRALIA Every doctor practising medicine in Australia must be registered with the Medical Board of Australia. Medical practitioners with general registration can practise in any State or Territory of Australia. The Board keeps up-to-date public registers of all registered medical practitioners with general, provisional, limited and non-practising registration, as well as all medical practitioners who are recognised as specialists. The Board can also grant registration to medical students undertaking an approved program of study.
The Medical Board of Australia is supported by AHPRA and has Boards in each State and Territory. These Boards make individual registration and notification decisions, based on national policies and standards set by the Medical Board of Australia. The National Board has also appointed a range of Committees in each State and Territory to deal with the registration of individuals and with notifications. Committees include: • Registration Committee • Health Committee • Immediate Action Committee
The role of the Board is to:
• Notifications Assessment Committee
• register medical practitioners and medical students
• Performance and Professional Standards Committee.
• develop standards, codes and guidelines for the medical profession
Further information
• investigate notifications and complaints • conduct panel hearings and refer serious matters to Tribunal hearings • assess International Medical Graduates who wish to practise in Australia • approve accreditation standards and accredited courses of study.
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Medical Board of Australia GPO Box 9958 Melbourne VIC 3001 Web www.medicalboard.gov.au
Health
Ambulance Service of NSW
AMBULANCE SERVICE OF NSW The Ambulance Service of NSW is responsible for providing responsive, high quality clinical care in emergency situations, including prehospital care, rescue, retrieval and patient transport services across NSW. Key areas represented by the NSW Ambulance include:
Ambulance Service of NSW State Headquarters Balmain Rd Locked Bag 105 Rozelle NSW 2039 Tel 02 9320 7777 Fax 02 9320 7800 Email generalenquiry@ambulance.nsw.gov.au Web www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au NATIONAL AND STATE BASED ORGANISATIONS
• operations - responsible for the delivery of front line out-of-hospital care, medical retrieval and health related transport
Further information
• clinical development - responsible for clinical governance, education, clinical professional development, clinical performance, mental health, patient safety, advanced care projects and medical advice • corporate services - including planning, workforce, infrastructure and asset services and information systems and support finance - responsible for the management of information and data integrity and Ambulance financial resources the NSW Health Counter Disaster Unit - addressing aspects of health disaster planning including responding to terrorism events. The service employs more than 4,500 people, with 90 per cent being operational staff involved in the frontline delivery of services. This includes paramedics and specialised areas such as intensive care and extended care paramedics, special operations, counter disaster, aeromedical and medical retrieval.
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AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE & HOSPITALS ASSOCIATION
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF HEALTH AND WELFARE
The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA) is the independent peak membership body and advocate for the Australian public healthcare system and a national voice for universally accessible, high quality healthcare in Australia - since 1946. The AHHA is uniquely positioned to facilitate collaboration between clinicians, academics, policy makers, administrators and politicians.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is Australia’s national agency providing health and welfare statistics and information.
More information Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association PO Box 78 Unit 8, 2 Phipps Close Deakin ACT 2600 Tel 02 6162 0780 Fax 02 6162 0779 Email admin@ahha.asn.au Web www.ahha.asn.au
The data reported by AIHW are used to inform discussion and decisions made on health policy and services. AIHW works closely with all State, Territory and Australian Government health, housing and community services agencies in collecting, analysing and disseminating data. In addition to Parliamentary reports on Australia’s Health and Welfare, AIHW produces a multitude of reports and working papers each year on topics such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Welfare, Ageing and Aged Care, Data Standards, General Practice, Expenditure, Hospitals, Labourforce, Mental Health, Chronic Disease and Rural Health. Further information Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 1 Thynne St Fern Hill Park Bruce ACT 2617 GPO Box 570 Canberra ACT 2601 Tel 02 6244 1000 Fax 02 6244 1299 Email info@aihw.gov.au Web www.aihw.gov.au
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AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is the peak membership organisation representing registered medical practitioners and medical students of Australia. It aims to promote and protect the professional interests of doctors and the health care needs of patients and communities.
• working with governments to maintain and increase provision of world class medical care to all Australians • tracking and reporting government performance on health policy, financing, services and programs
The Australian Medical Council (AMC) is an independent national standards body for medical education and training. Its purpose is to ensure that standards of education, training and assessment of the medical profession promote and protect the health of the Australian community. The AMC: • acts as an external accreditation entity for the purposes of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law • develops accreditation standards, policies and procedures for medical programs of study based predominantly in Australia for assessment of international medical graduates for registration in Australia • assesses medical programs and the institutions that provide them
• challenging governments on policy that potentially harms the interests of patients
• assesses other countries’ examining and accrediting authorities
• providing informed and authoritative expert medical commentary on health issues in the media, political debate, and public forums
• assesses the case for recognition of medical specialties.
• leading the health policy debate by developing and promoting alternative policies to those government policies that the AMA considers poorly targeted or ill-informed
Further information Australian Medical Council PO Box 4810 Kingston ACT 2604 Tel 02 6270 9777 (General enquiries) Tel 02 6270 7878 (Candidate enquiries) Fax 02 6270 9799 Email amc@amc.org.au Web www.amc.org.au
• responding to issues in the health debate through the provision of a wide range of expert resources, and commissioning and conducting research on health issues. Further information Australian Medical Association NSW PO Box 121 St Leonards NSW 1590 Tel 02 9439 8822 Tel 1800 813 423 (outside Sydney) Fax 02 9438 3760 Email enquires@amansw.com.au Web www.amansw.com.au
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NATIONAL AND STATE BASED ORGANISATIONS
The AMA supports the medical profession through advocacy, lobbying and peer support. It advocates on behalf of its members and the community at both Federal and State and Territory levels by:
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL COUNCIL
AUSTRALIAN DIGITAL HEALTH AGENCY
CLINICAL EXCELLENCE COMMISSION
Tasked with improving health outcomes for Australians through the delivery of digital healthcare systems and the national digital health strategy for Australia, the Australian Digital Health Agency commenced operations on 1 July 2016.
The Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC) provides leadership in safety and quality in NSW to improve healthcare for patients. It was established in 2004 as a key structural reform outlined in the NSW Health Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Program.
The Agency leads and provides direction in developing digital health, bringing the Australian health system into the digital century. It is responsible for the national digital health strategy including the design, development, delivery and national operations, while the Australian Department of Health is responsible for national digital health policy.
The range of areas addressed by the CEC includes clinical incident review, deteriorating patients, end of life care, falls prevention, human factors, infection control, leadership, medication safety, mortality review, open disclosure, paediatric quality and safety, partnering with patients, pressure injury prevention, safety and quality education, sepsis, teamwork, transfusion medicine and venous thromboembolism prevention.
The Agency is responsible for all national digital health services and systems including the design, development and delivery of the national digital health strategy. Its focus is on putting data and technology safely to work for patients, consumers and the healthcare professionals who look after them. Further information Australian Digital Health Agency Level 25, 56 Pitt St Sydney NSW 2000 Tel 02 8298 2648 Fax 02 8298 2666 Email help@digitalhealth.gov.au Email carey.doolan@digitalhealth.gov.au Web www.digitalhealth.gov.au
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Monitoring processes and performance, to provide assurance of clinical quality and safety improvement at a system-wide level, is a central and distinct role of the CEC within the NSW health system. Further information Level 17, McKell Building 2-24 Rawson Pl Sydney NSW 2000 Tel 02 9269 5500 Fax 02 9269 5599 Web www.cec.health.nsw.gov.au
GENERAL PRACTICE REGISTRARS AUSTRALIA
NATIONAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) is the peak national representative body for GP registrars.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is the Australian government’s peak body for funding and supporting health and medical research in Australia.
The main objectives of GPRA are to: • be the voice for future GPs • promote general practice as the medical specialty of choice • ensure excellence in GP education and training • support members to have sustainable and fulfilling careers in general practice • have sound governance and follow best business practices. Further information General Practice Registrars Australia Level 1, 517 Flinders Ln Melbourne VIC 3001 Tel 03 9629 8878 Fax 03 9629 8896 Email enquiries@gpra.org.au Web www.gpra.org.au
NHMRC’s primary role is to ensure Australia gains the maximum benefits of improved health from the government’s investment in health and medical research. It does this through developing health advice for the Australian community, health professionals and governments, and by providing advice on ethical behaviour in health care and in the conduct of health and medical research. Further information National Health and Medical Research Council Level 1, 16 Marcus Clarke St GPO Box 1421 Canberra ACT 2601 Freecall 13 000 64672 Tel 02 6217 9000 Fax 02 6217 9100 Email nhmrc@nhmrc.gov.au Web www.nhmrc.gov.au
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NATIONAL AND STATE BASED ORGANISATIONS
GPRA provides essential feedback on registrar issues to relevant stakeholders, plays an important role in maintaining educational relevance and standards, and represents the future of general practice.
NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH ALLIANCE
NSW AGENCY FOR CLINICAL INNOVATION
The National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA) is the peak non-government body for rural and remote health in Australia. The Alliance is comprised of 36 national organisations that represent health consumers, health care professionals, service providers, health educators, students and key groups in the Indigenous health sector.
The Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) was established in January 2010 to drive continuous improvement in the way care is provided to patients in the NSW health system.
The NHRA works with its members to: • identify priority needs in rural and remote health and to promote appropriate action • research key issues in rural and remote health and develop knowledge about them • disseminate relevant information and knowledge to those with an interest in rural and remote health • provide feedback to governments on the health impact of their policies and services in rural, regional and remote communities • encourage stronger organisations and population groups to recognise and support those which are vulnerable • develop strategic alliances with other groups that have the potential to improve rural and remote health outcomes • undertake project and contract work that supports the vision of the Alliance. The NHRA is the national manager of the Rural Australia Medical Undergraduate Scholarship (RAMUS) Scheme, the National Rural Health Conferences and the Australian Journal of Rural Health. Further information National Rural Health Alliance 10 Campion St PO Box 280 Deakin West ACT 2600 Tel 02 6285 4660 Fax 02 6285 4670 Email nrha@ruralhealth.org.au Web www.ruralhealth.org.au 68 I NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
The ACI works with doctors, nurses, other health professionals, managers and the community to promote improvements in health service delivery and to translate innovative ideas into sustainable system-wide change proposals. This is achieved by working with health professionals and communities, through member participation, and across clinical networks which each focus on a specific area of care. The ACI reports to the NSW Minister for Health and the Director-General of the Ministry of Health and works closely with the Bureau of Health Information, Clinical Excellence Commission, Health Education and Training Institute and the Cancer Institute NSW. In October 2012, a state-wide Rural Health Network within ACI was established to provide a communication strategy between ACI and Local Health Districts to support the implementation of models of care and innovation across rural and remote health care settings. ACI Rural Health Network membership comprises clinical and consumer/non-clinical rural representatives with strategic guidance from an Executive Committee who has an advisory capacity to the Rural Health Unit within the Ministry of Health. RDN is currently represented on the Executive Committee by its General Manager, Mr Dave Karlson. Further information Agency for Clinical Innovation Level 4, Sage Building 67 Albert Ave Chatswood NSW 2067 PO Box 699 Chatswood NSW 2057 Tel 02 9464 4666 Fax 02 9464 4728 Email aci-info@health.nsw.gov.au Web www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au
NSW EMERGENCY CARE INSTITUTE The Emergency Care Institute (ECI) is under the umbrella of the Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) with its primary role being to improve outcomes for patients presenting at hospital Emergency Departments (ED) across New South Wales.
The top priorities for the ECI include: • bringing together and engaging clinicians, consumers and key stakeholders across NSW to ensure that their views inform the work of the ECI • reducing variation in clinical practice and increasing consistency in outcomes • promoting and disseminating evidencebased care including new models of care to address challenges in emergency care. Further information Emergency Care Institute NSW Level 4, Sage Building 67 Albert Ave Chatswood NSW 2067 PO Box 699 Chatswood NSW 2057 Tel 02 9464 4674 Fax 02 9464 4728 Email vanessa.evans@health.nsw.gov.au Web www.ecinsw.com.au
The Primary Health Care Research & Information Service (PHCRIS) is a national primary health care organisation working in the Discipline of General Practice. It aims to be a leader in sharing information and knowledge to support Australian primary health care and works with, stakeholder organisations and primary health care researchers to generate, manage and exchange quality information and knowledge that informs and influences policy, practice, and research and evaluation. PHCRIS generates, manages and shares research, information and knowledge about primary health care to accelerate the impact of research and evidence in policy and practice. Further information Primary Health Care Research & Information Service Discipline of General Practice Flinders University Bedford Park SA 5042 GPO Box 2100 Adelaide SA 5001 Tel 08 7221 8525 Email phcris@flinders.edu.au Web www.phcris.org.au
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NATIONAL AND STATE BASED ORGANISATIONS
The ECI works with and supports ED staff, in consultation with consumers and the community, to research, plan and deliver more effective and efficient care leading to better outcomes for patients. It provides a strong, independent voice for improvement on behalf of staff, patients and NSW communities.
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE RESEARCH & INFORMATION SERVICE
ROYAL FAR WEST
ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE
Royal Far West is a non-government organisation that provides free access to specialist medical, nursing and allied health services to children living in rural and remote NSW.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS) is one of the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisations in the world. Using the latest in aviation, medical and communications technology, it delivers extensive primary health care and 24-hour emergency service to those who live, work and travel throughout Australia.
Royal Far West has a vision for “healthy country children”. To achieve this, it works in partnership with families and local health and education providers to complement existing services within the community. Every year, thousands of country children who have non-acute developmental, behavioural, learning, emotional and mental health disorders, and limited access to local services, benefit from Royal Far West’s integrated clinical and educational model of care. Further information Royal Far West 19-21 South Steyne Manly NSW 2095 PO Box 52 Manly NSW 1655 Freecall 1800 500 061 Tel 02 8966 8500 Fax 02 9977 7134 Web www.royalfarwest.org.au
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The RFDS is a not-for-profit organisation, supported by governments and relying on fundraising and donations from the community. The RFDS operates from 42 bases across Australia. It has a fleet of 69 aircraft and provides medical assistance to more than 336,000 people every year. Further information Royal Flying Doctor Service GPO Box 3537 Sydney NSW 2001 Tel 02 9941 8859 Fax 02 9262 1817 Email enquiries@rfdsse.org.au Web www.flyingdoctor.org.au
RURAL DOCTORS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) is a national body representing the interests of rural medical practitioners around Australia. Its vision is for excellent medical care for rural and remote communities, and RDAA is committed to building and maintaining a workforce of highly skilled and motivated rural medical practitioners.
• advocacy on rural doctor and rural health issues • research • information • policy development • strategic advice • liaison with other organisations. The RDAA deals with key issues affecting rural doctors and the communities they serve, such as: • workforce shortages and the need to recruit and retain additional doctors in rural and remote areas • professional development and ongoing education and training • the downgrading and closure of rural hospitals, and the decline in procedural services in rural areas • Indigenous health • the sustainability of rural and regional communities.
• Rural Specialists Group; that supports rural specialists and promotes the maintenance and expansion of an appropriately skilled and recognised rural specialist workforce • Female Doctors Group; that brings together female rural medical practitioners, registrars and medical students to discuss issues of concern, share wisdom and lend support. Residents and Registrars Group: that supports medical officers with an interest in rural practice throughout their prevocational and vocational training years. The group provides advice to the RDAA Board on matters relating to junior doctor medical training and contribute to the advice provided by RDAA to government and other bodies at a national level • International Medical Graduates: that supports International Medical Graduates who provide a significant contribution to the rural medical workforce to deliver a high level of quality and safe service to rural and remote communities. The group provides advice to the RDAA Board to assist in informing their advice to government and other bodies at a national level • Far North Group: supports members of WA, Qld and the NT chapter. The group focuses on the unique challenges of working in northern Australia. In 1996, in response to demand from rural doctors and trainees, RDAA created the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) as a separate organisation to look after standards, training and continuing medical education for rural doctors.
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NATIONAL AND STATE BASED ORGANISATIONS
The RDAA works nationally to provide:
The RDAA has five special interest groups:
RDAA comprises the Rural Doctors Association (RDA) of each State and Territory. State RDAs are autonomous entities which negotiate with government and other bodies in their own jurisdictions, with members typically drawn from small rural towns and remote areas. Further information Rural Doctors Association of Australia Suite 5, Level 2, 2-10 Captain Cook Crs PO Box 3636 Manuka ACT 2603 Tel 02 6239 7730 Email office@rdaa.com.au Web www.rdaa.com.au
RDAA Board 2018 President Dr Adam Coltzau Vice President Immediate Past President Dr Ewen McPhee Board Members Dr Gerry Considine Dr Andrew Kirke Prof Tarun Sen Gupta Dr Emma Cunningham Prof Lucie Walters Dr Nola Maxfield Dr Molly Shorthouse Company Secretary Peta Rutherford
RDA State and Territory Associations RDA New South Wales President Dr Emma Cunningham Membership Alicia Hargreaves Tel 1800 350 732 Email admin@rdansw.com.au Web www.rdansw.com.au RDA Victoria President Membership Tel Email Web
Dr Jane Neyland Linda Huf 02 6239 7730 execassist@rdav.com.au www.rdav.com.au
RDA South Australia President Dr Gerry Considine Executive Officer Anita Adlam Tel 0404 369 900 Email info@rdasa.com.au Web www.rdasa.com.au RDA Queensland President Dr Konrad Kangru Executive Officer Marg Moss Tel 07 3221 4444 Email rdaq@rdaq.com.au Web www.rdaq.com.au RDA Tasmania President Membership Tel Web
Dr Molly Shorthouse Linda Huf 02 6239 7730 www.rdat.com.au
RDA Western Australia President Dr Andrew Kirke Membership Linda Huf Tel 08 9722 0500 Email carol.chandler@rcswa.edu.au Web www.rdawa.com.au RDA Northern Territory Membership Linda Huf Tel 02 6239 7730
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RURAL DOCTORS ASSOCIATION (NSW) The Rural Doctors Association (NSW) [RDA (NSW)] was established in 1987 and is one of seven state and territory members of the RDAA. Membership is open to all NSW rural doctors, not just those who work at the 125 rural small hospitals in New South Wales.
RDA (NSW) promotes the Rural Doctors Settlement Package, which primarily sets out the conditions and fees for providing care to public hospital patients. This package has had a major stabilising influence on public hospital services in the state. It is regarded highly by both members and the NSW Ministry of Health (MoH), and efforts to ensure its safekeeping are great.
President Dr Emma Cunningham Vice President Dr Charles Evill Secretary Dr Ian Kamerman Treasurer Dr John Curnow
NSW Committee Members 2018 Dr Louise Baker Dr Judy Toman Dr Andrew Egan Dr Rachel Christmas Dr Carla Flyn Dr Eliza Baker
Further information Rural Doctors Association (NSW) PO Box 88 136 Mount St Gundagai NSW 2722 Tel 1800 350 732 Fax 02 6944 4336 Email admin@rdansw.com.au Web www.rdansw.com.au
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NATIONAL AND STATE BASED ORGANISATIONS
The RDA (NSW) is at the forefront in seeking solutions to the current rural workforce shortage. Activities range from those targeting high school students through to GP retention grants including Anaesthetic and Obstetric Incentive Grants. These are in addition to locum subsidies, Practice Incentive Payment bonuses, upskilling grants of several thousand dollars, and remote area recruitment grants for removal and set up expenses.
NSW Executive Committee 2018
RURAL WORKFORCE AGENCIES Each state and territory has a Rural Workforce Agency (RWA) gazetted by the Australian Government Department of Health to support the health workforce in regional, rural and remote communities. Recruitment, support services and workforce planning are among the main activities of the seven RWAs and this involves the attraction, recruitment and retention of GP health professionals (including Overseas Trained Doctors), nurses and allied health professionals. The RWAs provide workforce support for general practice and Aboriginal Medical Services, and deliver programs such as health outreach to enable multi-disciplinary health teams to visit rural and remote communities experiencing chronic health issues. The RWAs also deliver a comprehensive Workforce and Skills Minimum Data Set to inform policy development around access to GP services in rural and remote communities. In 2017, the RWAs formed the Rural Workforce Agency Network (RWAN) to facilitate their collective cooperative activity and to ensure consistency, where required, at a national level. RWAN has successfully tendered for several national programs as a consortium, and the CEOs of the RWAs meet regularly as RWAN.
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State and Territory Rural Workforce Agency CEOs NSW
Mr Richard Colbran
NT
Ms Nicki Herriot
QLD
Mr Chris Mitchell
SA
Ms Lyn Poole
VIC
Ms Megan Cahill
TAS
Mr Peter Barns
WA
Mr Tim Shackleton
NSW Rural Doctors Network Suite 1, 53 Cleary St Hamilton NSW 2303 Tel 02 4924 8000 Fax 02 4924 8010 Email info@nswrdn.com.au Web www.nswrdn.com.au
Health Workforce Queensland Level 13, 288 Edward St GPO Box 2523 Brisbane QLD 4001 Tel 07 3105 7800 Fax 07 3105 7801 Email admin@healthworkforce.com.au Web www.healthworkforce.com.au Rural Doctors Workforce Agency South Australia 63 Henley Beach Rd Mile End SA 5031 Tel 08 8234 8277 Fax 08 8234 0002 Email ruraldoc@ruraldoc.com.au Web www.ruraldoc.com.au
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NATIONAL AND STATE BASED ORGANISATIONS
Northern Territory Primary Health Network 23 Albatross St Winnellie NT 0820 GPO Box 2562 Darwin NT 0801 Tel 08 8982 1000 Fax 08 8981 5899 Email ntphn@ntphn.org.au Web www.ntphn.org.au
Rural Workforce Agency Victoria Level 6, Tower 4, World Trade Centre 18-38 Siddeley St Melbourne VIC 3005 Tel 03 9349 7800 Fax 03 9820 0401 Email rwav@rwav.com.au Web www.rwav.com.au HR+ 161 St John St Launceston Launceston TAS 7250 Tel 03 6332 8600 Fax 03 6334 3851 Email recruitment@hrplustas.com.au Web www.hrplustas.com.au Rural Health West 10 Stirling Hwy PO Box 433 Nedlands WA 6909 Tel 08 6389 4500 Fax 08 6389 4501 Email info@ruralhealthwest.com.au Web www.ruralhealthwest.com.au
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Australian Government Rural Health Departments and Programs
Tamworth NSW
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH The Australian Government Department of Health (DoH) has a diverse set of responsibilities, but its common purpose is ’Better health and wellbeing for all Australians, now and for future generations’. In 2018, the Federal Ministers with health portfolio responsibilities are: • The Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health • The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Indigenous Health • The Hon Bridget McKenzie MP, Minister for Sport, Rural Health and Regional Communications. In late 2017, the then Federal Assistant Minister for Health David Gillespie announced Emeritus Professor Paul Worley as Australia’s first national rural health commissioner. In his role as rural health commissioner, Professor Worley will work with communities, the health sector, universities, specialist training colleges and across all levels of government to improve rural health policies and champion the cause of rural practice. His first task will be to develop a National Rural Generalist Pathway, to improve access to training for doctors in regional, rural and remote Australia.
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Rural Health Workforce Support Program The objective of the Rural Health Workforce Support Program, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health (DoH), is to contribute to addressing health workforce shortages and maldistribution in regional, rural and remote New South Wales. The NSW Rural Doctors Network is funded by DoH to undertake rural workforce planning and support as per the Rural Health Workforce Support Program. This program is replicated in each of the other Australian states and territories.
NSW/ACT Office The NSW Office of DoH represents the organisation’s interests at a local level and ensures appropriate integration of services on the ground with state government agencies. The state office also works in cooperation with other Australian Government agencies and local stakeholders to ensure services provided through departmental programs are responsive to diverse local community needs and conditions. Further information Australian Government Department of Health (NSW/ACT Office) 260 Elizabeth St Sydney NSW 2000 GPO Box 9848 Sydney NSW 2001 Freecall 1800 048 998 Tel 02 9263 3555 Fax 02 9263 3509 Email ruralsupport@health.gov.au Web www.health.gov.au
NSW MINISTRY OF HEALTH The NSW Ministry of Health (MoH) provides a diverse and comprehensive range of services to the people of New South Wales. Services are provided in a wide range of settings from primary care posts in remote areas to metropolitan based tertiary health services. AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT RURAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS
NSW MoH is responsible for ensuring that the people of NSW are provided with the best possible health care. The Ministry undertakes planning for state-wide and specialty services, monitors the performance of the NSW public health system and supports the statutory role of the NSW Minister for Health.
NSW Minister for Health The Minister is responsible for the administration of health legislation within NSW. The current Minister for Health and the Minister for Medical Research, since 30 January 2017 is Brad Hazzard. Further information NSW Ministry of Health 73 Miller St North Sydney NSW 2060 Locked Mail Bag 961 North Sydney NSW 2059 Tel 02 9391 9000 Fax 02 9391 9101 Web www.health.nsw.gov.au
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LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICTS In NSW, there are 15 Local Health Districts (LHDs) responsible for providing health services in a wide range of settings, from primary care posts in the remote outback to metropolitan tertiary health centres. Seven of these LHDs are classified as comprising rural areas. Rural and Regional New South Wales Local Health Districts The seven geographically based LHDs covering rural and regional NSW are: Far West Local Health District Mr Stephen Rodwell, Chief Executive Dr Andrew Refshauge, Chair Kincumber House, Morgan St PO Box 457 Broken Hill NSW 2880 Tel 08 8080 1333 Web www.fwlhd.health.nsw.gov.au Hunter New England Local Health District Mr Michael DiRienzo, Chief Executive Assoc Prof Lyn Fragar AO, Chair Lookout Rd Locked Bag 1 New Lambton NSW 2305 Tel 02 4921 3000 Web www.hnehealth.nsw.gov.au Mid North Coast Local Health District Mr Stewart Dowrick, Chief Executive Mr Warren Grimshaw AM, Chair Morton St PO Box 126 Port Macquarie NSW 2444 Tel 1800 726 997 Web www.mnclhd.health.nsw.gov.au
Murrumbidgee Local Health District Ms Jill Ludford, Chief Executive Mrs Gayle Murphy, Chair Level 1, 193-195 Morgan St Locked Bag 10 Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Tel 02 5943 2003 Email MLHD-FeedBack@health.nsw.gov.au Web www.mlhd.health.nsw.gov.au Northern NSW Local Health District Mr Wayne Jones, Chief Executive Dr Brian Pezzutti, Chair Crawford House, Hunter St Locked Bag 11 Lismore NSW 2480 Tel 02 6620 2100 Fax 02 6621 7088 Web www.nnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au Southern NSW Local Health District Mr Andrew Newton, Chief Executive Dr Allan Hawke AC, Chair Peppertree Lodge, Queanbeyan Hospital Cnr Collette & Erin Sts PO Box 1845 Queanbeyan NSW 2620 Tel 02 6213 8336 Email SNSWLHD-ConsumerFeedback @health.nsw.gov.au Web www.snswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au Western NSW Local Health District Mr Scott McLachlan, Chief Executive Mr Scott Griffiths PSM, Chair 29 Hawthorn St PO Box 4061 Dubbo NSW 2830 Tel 02 6809 8600 Web www.wnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au Further Information Local Health Districts Web www.health.nsw.gov.au/lhd
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Rural and Regional NSW Local Health Districts
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT RURAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS 2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 81
GENERAL PRACTICE SUPPORT
GP Obstetrician Dr Scott Finlay (centre) with the Hunter New England Health midwifery team and patients (mother and baby) at RDN Antenatal Outreach Clinic, Moree NSW
RURAL AND REMOTE MEDICAL SERVICES
Rural and Remote Medical Services Suite 2, 53 Cleary St Hamilton NSW 2303 Tel 02 4924 8046 Email shatton@rarms.com.au Web www.rarms.com.au
GENERAL PRACTICE SUPPORT
RaRMS (Rural and Remote Medical Services Ltd) was initially established in 2001 by the NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) as a notfor-profit organisation to provide practice management support to rural medical practices. RaRMS is now a fully independent organisation and provides a not-for-profit community focused alternative to commercial GP and Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) service providers.
Further information
RaRMS works with RDN, Local Health Districts, Aboriginal Health Services, Primary Health Networks and other key stakeholders to deliver modern integrated primary health care services to rural and remote communities. RaRMS has succeeded in attracting and retaining doctors in rural and remote NSW, and in facilitating a greatly expanded range of medical, nursing and allied health services. Initially RaRMS was involved in addressing chronic GP shortages in Walgett and Lightning Ridge. Since then, RaRMS has successfully provided practice management support to rural and remote GPs through its “Easy Entry, Gracious Exit� model. This model allows GPs to retain control over clinical service delivery in their practices without having to be business managers, and minimises the need for significant up front financial investment on their part. The RaRMS Board has Directors with a range of skills and experience drawn from GPs and individuals with extensive executive level management experience in primary health care settings.
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PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORKS Primary Health Networks (PHNs) have the key objective of “increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of medical services for patients, particularly those at risk of poor health outcomes, and improving coordination of care to ensure patients receive the right care in the right place at the right time.� General practice is at the centre of the PHN model and PHNs are advised by Clinical Councils which have GP representation, as well as Community Advisory Committees. PHNs are expected to align closely with state and territory health network arrangements to ensure effective working relationships, and reduce duplication of effort. PHNs work equally with both public and private providers to develop health solutions for people living in their communities. They also provide practice support to individual general practices to encourage high quality services. PHNs started operating on 1 July 2015, replacing the Medicare Locals set up by the previous government. Ten PHNs have been established in NSW, including six in rural and regional NSW. Further information Primary Health Networks Web www.health.gov.au/PHN
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RURAL AND REGIONAL NSW PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORKS The six geographically based PHNs covering rural and regional NSW are:
South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network Coordinare Ms Dianne Kitcher, Chief Executive Officer Mr Richard Spencer, Chair Ground Floor, iC Central, Innovation Campus Squires Way Wollongong North NSW 2500 PO Box 325 Fairy Meadow NSW 2519 Tel 1300 069 002 Email info@coordinare.org.au Web www.coordinare.org.au
WESTERN NSW
Western NSW Primary Health Network Western Health Alliance Andrew Harvey, Chief Executive Officer Dr Tim Smyth, Chair First Floor, 187 Brisbane St PO Box 890 Dubbo NSW 2830 Tel 1300 699 167 Fax 1300 699 168 Email admin@wnswphn.org.au Web www.wnswphn.org.au
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GENERAL PRACTICE SUPPORT
Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network Wentworth Healthcare Ms Lizz Reay, Chief Executive Officer Dr Andrew Knight, Chair Level 1, Suite 1, Werrington Park Corporate Centre 14 Great Western Hwy Kingswood NSW 2747 Building BR, Level 1, Suite 1 Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Tel 02 4708 8100 Fax 02 9673 6856 Email admin@nbmphn.com.au Web www.nbmphn.com.au
HUNTER NEW ENGLAND AND CENTRAL COAST
NORTH COAST
Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health HNECC Mr Richard Nankervis, Chief Executive Officer Ms Jane Schwager AO, Chair Suite 11, 125 Bull St Newcastle West NSW 2302 PO Box 2288 Dangar NSW 2309 Tel 1300 859 028 Email info@hneccphn.com.au Web www.hneccphn.com.au North Coast Primary Health Network Healthy North Coast Mr Vahid Saberi, Chief Executive Officer Dr Tony Lembke, Chair 106-108 Tamar St PO Box 957 Ballina NSW 2478 Tel 02 6618 5400 Fax 02 6618 5499 Email enquiries@ncphn.org.au Web ncphn.org.au Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network Firsthealth Acting CEO, Ms Melissa Neal Ms Susan McAlpin, Chair 1/185 Morgan St PO Box 5663 Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Tel 02 6923 3100 Email ceo@mphn.org.au Web www.mphn.org.au
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NSW Primary Health Network Boundaries
Murwillumbah Lismore Ballina
Casino
NORTH COAST
Tenterfield Lightning Ridge
Moree Glen Innes
Inverell Brewarrina
Walgett
Narrabri
WESTERN NSW
Gunnedah
Nambucca Heads Kempsey
Tamworth
Port Macquarie
Quirindi Taree
Broken Hill
Forster
Muswellbrook Bulahdelah
NEPEAN BLUE MOUNTAINS
Nelson Bay
Cessnock
Newcastle
Condobolin Forbes
Orange
Portland Windsor
Oberon Grenfell
Penrith
WESTERN SYDNEY
NORTHERN SYDNEY
Sydney
Campbelltown Griffith Balranald
Young
Narrandera
CENTRAL and EASTERN SYDNEY
Cronulla
SOUTH WESTERN SYDNEY
Mittagong
Hay
Gosford Hornsby
Goulburn
MURRUMBIDGEE
Gundagai
Nowra
SOUTH EASTERN NSW
Wagga Wagga Ulladulla
Deniliquin Tumbarumba
Albury
Cooma
Eden
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GENERAL PRACTICE SUPPORT
Wilcannia
Coffs Harbour Dorrigo
Armidale
Coonabarabran
Cobar
Grafton
HUNTER NEW ENGLAND and CENTRAL COAST
Bourke
Evans Head
Nursing and Allied Health
Dr Varadharaj Kengaiha with patient, Lillybrook Dental Clinic, Inverell NSW
AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS
AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF MIDWIVES
The Australian Association of Social Workers is the professional representative body of social workers in Australia, with more than 10,000 members. It was formed as a national association in 1946 and has since supported its members through the profession’s many developments and changes.
The Australian College of Midwives (ACM) is a national, not-for-profit organisation that serves as the peak professional body for midwives in Australia. The College was founded nationally in 1984, when midwifery associations in a number of states and territories came together to create a national peak body for Australian midwives.
Further information Australian Association of Social Workers Unit 9, Block C, Trevor Pearcey House 28-34 Thynne St Bruce ACT 2617 Tel 02 6199 5000 Fax 02 6199 5099 Email aaswnat@aasw.asn.au Web www.aasw.asn.au
The College provides a unified voice for the midwifery profession, supports midwives to reach their full potential, and sets professional practice and education standards. The ACM is committed to being the leading organisation shaping Australian maternity care, to ensure the best possible maternity outcomes for all Australian women. It is guided by research evidence that pregnant women and mothers benefit from having access to midwifery care throughout their childbearing experience. Further information Australian College of Midwives PO Box 965 Civic Sq ACT 2608 Tel 1300 360 480 Fax 02 6230 6033 Email admin@midwives.org.au Web www.midwives.org.au
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NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH
Today, with our nine branches and vibrant community of national committees and practice groups supporting the work of the Association, we cater for the professional needs and interests of our social work members practising in a diverse range of fields, employment and locations.
AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF NURSING
AUSTRALIAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION
The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) is a professional nursing membership organisation, open to nurses in all settings and at every stage of their career. In addition to being the Australian member of the International Council of Nurses, ACN are also an authorised higher education provider and registered training organisation and specialise in online postgraduate, professional development and training courses for registered and enrolled nurses.
The Australian Dental Association is the peak national body for the dental profession encompassing the majority of dentists in the country. A voluntary member organisation with branches in every state and territory, it has three main objectives:
ACN is advancing nurse leadership to enhance health and aged care. It recognises the importance of nurse leadership and the need to develop a nurse’s leadership skills. ACN aims to enhance the leadership skills and expertise of nurses throughout their career, to enable them to contribute to the policy, practice and delivery of health services and aged care. Further information Australian College of Nursing Level 6, 9 Wentworth St Parramatta NSW 2150 PO Box 650 Parramatta NSW 2124 Freecall 1800 265 534 Tel 02 9745 7500 Email customerservices@acn.edu.au Web www.acn.edu.au
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• To support members by enhancing their ability to provide safe, high quality professional oral health care • To encourage the improvement of the oral and general health of the public • Promotion of the ethics, art and science of dentistry Further information Australian Dental Association 14-16 Chandos St St Leonards NSW 2065 Tel 02 8815 3333 Email contact@ada.org.au Web www.ada.org.au
ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONS AUSTRALIA
NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH
Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) is the national voice for allied health professions in Australia, representing and advocating for the role of allied health professionals in our health system. AHPA plays an important strategic leadership role with policy decision makers at all levels of government to raise issues concerning allied health, and to share information and views relevant to the organisation’s objectives. AHPA’s membership represents over 100,000 allied health professionals and comprises 22 national allied health associations and a further seven organisations with close links to the allied health sector. Professional associations represented by AHPA include Audiologists, Chiropractors, Dietitians, Exercise Physiologists, Occupational Therapists, Orthoptists, Orthotists and Prosthetists, Osteopaths, Hospital Pharmacists, Podiatrists, Psychologists, Sonographers, Social Workers, Speech Pathologists, Diabetes Educators and Practice Managers. Further information Allied Health Professions Australia Level 13/257 Collins St Melbourne VIC 3000 PO Box 38 Flinders Ln VIC 8009 Tel 03 8662 6620 Email admin@ahpa.com.au Web ahpa.com.au
2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 91
AUSTRALIAN NURSING AND MIDWIFERY FEDERATION The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) is the largest union in Australia with over 259,000 members employed in a wide range of enterprises in regional, rural, remote and urban locations in both the public and private health and aged care sectors. The ANMF is run by nurses and midwives to advance the industrial, political and professional status of its members. The ANMF participates in the development of policy relating to nursing and midwifery, and its branches provide service to nurses and midwives when they need support and representation. This may be the case when there is a workplace issue, to help with education, professional and career development, or campaigning for improvements to wages and conditions. In NSW, the registered union for all nurses and midwives is the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA). NSWNMA represents the industrial interests of nurses and midwives employed under all awards and agreements registered in NSW in both the public, private and aged care sectors. The NSWNMA also represents and provides for the professional, educational and industrial welfare of nurses and midwives in government and nongovernment forums at state, national and international level.
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Further information Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Unit 3, 28 Eyre St Kingston ACT 2604 Tel 02 6232 6533 Fax 02 6232 6610 Email anmfcanberra@anmf.org.au Web www.anmf.org.au NSW Nurses & Midwives’ Association 50 O’Dea Ave Waterloo NSW 2017 Tel 02 8595 1234 Fax 02 9662 1414 Email gensec@nswnma.asn.au Web www.nswnma.asn.au
AUSTRALIAN PHYSIOTHERAPY ASSOCIATION The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is the peak body representing the interests of Australian physiotherapists and their patients. The APA is a national organisation with nonautonomous state and territory branches and specialty subgroups.
Australian Physiotherapy Association (NSW/ACT) Suite 204, 32 Delhi Rd North Ryde NSW 2113 Freecall 1300 306 622 Tel 02 8748 1555 Fax 02 9647 2244 Email act.branch@physiotherapy.asn.au Web www.physiotherapy.asn.au NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH
The APA corporate structure is one of a company limited by guarantee. The organisation has more than 23,000 members and over 300 members in volunteer positions on committees or working parties. The APA is governed by a Board of Directors elected by representatives of all stakeholder groups within the Association.
Further information
The APA is committed to the concept of continuing professional education. The APA offers members advanced training and the possibility of collegial support from physiotherapists working in a similar area through its 14 national groups. The APA signifies a standard of professional and ethical behaviour over and above the requirements of registration. The APA has developed a strategic plan to steer its direction over the next few years. The plan is strongly focused on providing opportunities for members through professional excellence and career success. The APA is a member of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy.
2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 93
AUSTRALIAN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE NURSES ASSOCIATION
AUSTRALIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY
The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) is the peak professional body for nurses working in primary health care. APNA champions the role of primary health care nurses; to advance professional recognition, ensure workforce sustainability, nurture leadership in health, and optimise the role of nurses in patient-centred care.
The Australian Psychological Society (APS) is the leading professional association for psychologists in Australia, representing more than 22,000 members. The Society is committed to advancing psychology as an evidence-based discipline and practice, for the benefit of members and the communities they serve.
APNA represents a significant and rapidly expanding workforce; primary health care nurses account for around one in eight of the 640,000 registered health professionals in Australia. Primary health care nursing is wide ranging and covers many specialist areas including general practice, Aboriginal health, aged care, occupational health and safety, telephone triage, palliative care, sexual health, drug and alcohol issues, infection control, chronic disease management, cardiovascular care, immunisation, cancer, asthma, mental health, maternal and child health, health promotion, care plans, population health, diabetes, wound management and more.
The APS strongly advocates for the discipline and profession of psychology, supports high standards for the profession, promotes psychological knowledge to enhance community wellbeing, and is dedicated to providing benefits to support members’ professional lives.
Further information Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association Level 2, 159 Dorcas St South Melbourne VIC 3205 Tel 03 9669 7400 Fax 03 9669 7499 Email admin@apna.asn.au Web www.apna.asn.au
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The functions of the Society are conducted through more than 200 member groups with 40 APS branches across Australia. Through APS membership, psychologists benefit from professional support and resources via access to continuing professional development, the APS Professional Advisory Service, Member Assistance Centre, journals and EQIP, a database of evidence-based resources. This information includes practice guides, ethical guidelines and legal advice. Further information Australian Psychological Society Level 13, 257 Collins St Melbourne VIC 3000 PO Box 38 Flinders Lane VIC 8009 Freecall 1800 333 497 Tel 03 8662 3300 Fax 03 9663 6177 Email contactus@psychology.org.au Web www.psychology.org.au
CRANAplus
CRANAplus Bush Support Services
CRANAplus is dedicated to the development and delivery of safe, high quality primary health care to remote and isolated areas of Australia through the education and support of remote health practitioners and advocacy for the issues affecting them and the people in their care.
CRANAplus Bush Support Services (BSS) is a 24-hour helpline, staffed by psychologists who have worked in rural and remote areas. BSS has an understanding that the particular mental health of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous remote health workers is a result of the unique nature of remote work.
With funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, CRANAplus provides clinical and cultural awareness training as well as support for multidisciplinary health workers and their families working in remote or isolated regions of Australia.
Through CRANAplus, BSS is able to provide free and confidential (callers can remain anonymous) personalised care for remote health professionals working in rural and remote locations. BBS has a team of 11 qualified and highly skilled psychologists experienced in the remote sector. The service is free and confidential. Further information CRANAplus Bush Support Services Freecall 1800 805 391 Web www.crana.org.au/support
Further information CRANAplus Head Office Unit 2, 189-191 Abbott St PO Box 7410 Cairns QLD 4870 Tel 07 4047 6400 Fax 07 4041 2661 Email crana@crana.org.au Web www.crana.org.au
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CRANAplus is a not-for profit, membership based organisation that provides education, support and professional services for the multi-disciplinary remote health workforce. Mmembership is made up of multi-disciplinary health professionals who work in remote areas, have a desire to undertake remote work or have a keen interest in the sector. CRANAplus aims to ensure that those who choose to work in rural health sector, are as prepared as they can be for the challenges they will face.
DIETITIANS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AUSTRALIA
Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) is the peak body of dietetic and nutrition professionals providing strategic leadership in food and nutrition and advancing the professional interests of members.
Occupational Therapy Australia is the peak professional body representing the interests of occupational therapists across the country with a membership of 5,000 occupational therapists.
DAA represents over 6,400 members. It has branches in each state and territory. Its vision is to be the leader in dietetics, food and nutrition for healthier people and healthier nations. Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs) undertake ongoing training and education programs, in line with DAA Professional Standards. APD is the only credential for dietitians recognised by the Australian government (for Medicare and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) purposes), many state governments and many private health insurers. Further information Dietitians Association of Australia National Office 1/8 Phipps Cl Deakin ACT 2600 Freecall 1800 812 942 Tel 02 6189 1200 Fax 02 6282 9888 Email info@daa.asn.au Web www.daa.asn.au
Occupational Therapy Australia supports members through providing a range of services, including: • professional development opportunities • lobbying and representation of the profession at National, State and local levels • development and review of practice standards, position statements and professional competencies • encouraging and supporting research (through its Research Foundation) • regular communication and updates on matters of interest to members • general advice on professional and clinical issues. Information and assistance is available to the general public on the Occupational Therapy Australia website, including a ‘Find a Private Practice OT’ search facility - a listing of private practice occupational therapists who are members of the association. Further information Occupational Therapy Australia (NSW Division) 20/8 Avenue of the Americas Newington NSW 2127 Tel 02 9648 3225 Fax 02 9737 0023 Email info.nsw@otaus.com.au Web www.otaus.com.au
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SERVICES FOR AUSTRALIAN RURAL AND REMOTE ALLIED HEALTH Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) is nationally recognised as the peak body representing rural and remote allied health professionals.
SARRAH advocates for rural and remote allied health professionals and allied health practice on local, state and national levels. To this end it has established an extensive regional, state and national network of allied health professionals living and working in rural and remote Australia, encompassing the broad spectrum of health services provided. SARRAH plays a key role in promoting awareness amongst other health professions, consumers, government and non-government organisations of the role of the allied health professions in contributing to and meeting the needs for improved health outcomes of rural and remote communities. There are SARRAH representatives on various Australian Government, State and Territory rural health and local health area advisory committees and working groups. Further information Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health National Office 490 Northbourne Ave Dickson ACT 2602 PO Box 74 Deakin West ACT 2600 Freecall 1800 338 061 Tel 02 6285 4960 Email sarrah@sarrah.org.au Web www.sarrah.org.au
Speech Pathology Australia is the national peak body for the speech pathology profession in Australia. Speech pathologists are university trained allied health professionals with expertise in the assessment and treatment of communication and/or swallowing difficulties. The Association’s main objectives are: • To prescribe, guide and govern the clinical and ethical standards of members in their practice of speech pathology • To facilitate and promote opportunities for members to pursue knowledge and develop professionally • To disseminate professional positions to key stakeholder groups including: the government, consumers, referrers and the public • To advocate for and respond to the needs of clients with communication and swallowing difficulties • To promote timely access to services • To represent the interests and views of members of the Association. Further information Speech Pathology Australia Level 1/114 William St Melbourne VIC 3000 Tel 03 9642 4899 Fax 03 9642 4922 Email office@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Web www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
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Established in 1995 as a grassroots organisation, SARRAH addresses the particular needs of the individual rural and remote allied health professional.
SPEECH PATHOLOGY AUSTRALIA
SPECIALIST ADVISORY SERVICES FOR GPs
ENT Surgeon Dr Puneet Titoria with patient at RDN ENT Outreach Clinic, Ballina NSW
DOCTORS’ HEALTH ADVISORY SERVICE
DRUG AND ALCOHOL SPECIALIST ADVISORY SERVICE
The Doctors’ Health Advisory Service (DHAS) (NSW) is an independent and confidential service that aims to ensure that no NSW doctor lacks access to health care.
The Drug and Alcohol Specialist Advisory Service (DASAS) is a free 24-hour phone service to assist doctors, nurses and other health professionals, primarily in rural NSW, with diagnosis and treatment of patients with alcohol and drug problems.
DHAS operates a dedicated 24-hour helpline and is available to provide personal advice to practitioners in difficulties.
GPs are accredited to answer calls and are backed up by specialists and other health care professionals. Further information Doctors’ Health Advisory Service Level 2, 69 Christie St St Leonards NSW 2065 Tel 02 9437 6552 Email admin@dhas.org.au Web www.dhas.org.au
DASAS is funded by the NSW Ministry of Health and managed by St Vincent’s Hospital Alcohol and Drug Service, Sydney. Further information Drug and Alcohol Specialist Advisory Service Freecall 1800 023 687 (Rural NSW) Tel 02 9361 8006 (Sydney Metro) Web www.stvincents.com.au and search for Drug & Alcohol Specialist Advisory Service under the Our Services tab
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SPECIALIST ADVISORY SERVICES FOR GPS
The advice is used mostly in relation to drug and alcohol problems, stress and mental illness, or personal and financial difficulties. The service believes that all doctors and students should have their own GP, should not dismiss their own symptoms and should consult that doctor if they are unwell.
Qualified clinicians from DASAS can advise GPs on the diagnosis and management of patients with difficult or unusual clinical alcohol and drug issues, including drug effects and withdrawal symptoms, referral options, therapeutic and counselling techniques.
MEDICAL BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES DIRECTORY
The Medical Benevolent Association of NSW (MBANSW) is a free and confidential service that provides financial assistance and counselling support to all registered medical practitioners, medical students and their families in NSW and ACT during times of need. The association is also able to provide assistance for the families of deceased medical practitioners.
The National Health Services Directory (NHSD) is operated by Healthdirect Australia on behalf of all Australian governments, as part of the National Health Reform Agenda. It operates as a not-for-profit community resource and provides a comprehensive and consolidated national directory of health service and provider information. The directory provides essential service information such as location, opening hours and contact details.
Requests for assistance come from all areas of the medical profession and are primarily from GPs (and their families) that are unwell or impaired. Assistance is aimed at recovery and independence. MBANSW is a small independent organisation which is managed by a council of up to 20 registered medical practitioners. It has been supporting the doctors of NSW and ACT since 1896 and is funded by donations from the medical profession. Further information Medical Benevolent Association of NSW Level 6, 69 Christie St St Leonards NSW 2065 Tel 02 9987 0504 Fax 02 9987 2970 Web www.mbansw.org.au
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The NHSD: • builds a national foundation to connect health service providers and patients • allows you to find the most appropriate health service for your patient via a range of impending interfaces and applications • allows you to coordinate ongoing care for your patients more easily • facilitates better communication between health service providers • makes available accurate and reliable provider and service information to support health professionals in their care planning and referrals. Further information National Health Services Directory Email nhsd@healthdirect.org.au Web www.nhsd.com.au
WEBSITES
Mudgee NSW
WEBSITES Useful websites Australian Bureau of Statistics
www.abs.gov.au
Australian Childhood Immunisation Register
www.humanservices.gov.au
Bush Support Services
www.crana.org.au/support
DoctorConnect
www.doctorconnect.gov.au
Doctors’ Health Advisory Service
www.dhas.org.au
International Journal of Rural and Remote Health
www.rrh.org.au
John Flynn Placement Program
www.jfpp.com.au
LIME Network
www.limenetwork.net.au
Medical Benevolent Association of NSW
www.mbansw.org.au
Medicare Australia
www.humanservices.gov.au
National Health Service Directory
www.nhsd.com.au
Practice Incentives Programme
www.humanservices.gov.au
Practice Nurse Incentive Programme
www.humanservices.gov.au
RDN WebEd
www.rdnwebed.com.au
Rural Locum Assistance Program
www.rurallap.com.au
NSW state-based Organisations Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council
www.ahmrc.org.au
Agency for Clinical Innovation
www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au
Ambulance Service of NSW
www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au
Australian Medical Association (NSW)
www.amansw.com.au
Bawrunga Aboriginal Medical Services
www.bawrunga.org.au
Cancer Institute NSW
www.cancerinstitute.org.au
Emergency Care Institute
www.ecinsw.com.au
Family Planning NSW
www.fpnsw.org.au
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Health Education and Training Institute
www.heti.nsw.gov.au
Maari Ma Primary Health Care
www.maarima.com.au
NSW Local Health Districts
www.health.nsw.gov.au/lhd
NSW Ministry of Health
www.health.nsw.gov.au
NSW Interdisciplinary Clinical Training Networks
www.heti.nsw.gov.au/ictn
NSW Rural Medical Family Network
www.rmfn.org.au
Royal Far West
www.royalfarwest.org.au
Rural Doctors Association (NSW)
www.rdansw.com.au
Rural and Remote Medical Services
www.rarms.com.au
National organisations Allied Health Professions Australia
ahpa.com.au
Australian Association of Practice Managers
www.aapm.org.au
Australian Association of Social Workers
www.aasw.asn.au
Australian College of Midwives
www.midwives.org.au
Australian College of Nursing
www.acn.edu.au
Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
www.acrrm.org.au
Australian Dental Association
www.ada.org.au
Australian Digital Health Agency
www.digitalhealth.gov.au
Australian Government Department of Health
www.health.gov.au
Australian Government Department of Human Services
www.humanservices.gov.au
Australian General Practice Training
www.agpt.com.au
Australian Government Office of Rural Health
www.health.gov.au/ruralhealth
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
www.ahpra.gov.au
Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association
www.ahha.asn.au
Australian Indigenous Doctors Association
www.aida.org.au
2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 103
Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au
Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association
www.indigenouspsychology.com.au
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
www.aihw.gov.au
Australian Medical Council
www.amc.org.au
Australian Medical Students Association
www.amsa.org.au
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation
www.nswnma.asn.au
Australian Physiotherapy Association
www.physiotherapy.asn.au
Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association
www.apna.asn.au
Australian Psychological Society
www.psychology.org.au
Clinical Excellence Commission
www.cec.health.nsw.gov.au
Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives
www.catsinam.org.au
CRANAplus
www.crana.org.au
CRANAplus Bush Support Services
www.crana.org.au/support
Dietitians Association of Australia
www.daa.asn.au
Healing Foundation
www.healingfoundation.org.au
Indigenous Allied Health Australia
www.iaha.com.au
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers’ Association
www.natsihwa.org.au
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
www.naccho.org.au
National Health and Medical Research Council
www.nhmrc.gov.au
National Rural Health Alliance
www.ruralhealth.org.au
National Rural Health Students’ Network
www.nrhsn.org.au
Occupational Therapy Australia
www.otaus.com.au
Primary Health Care Research and Information Service
www.phcris.org.au
WEBSITES, ACRONYMS & INDEX
104 I NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
Primary Health Networks
www.health.gov.au/PHN
Remote Vocational Training Scheme
www.rvts.org.au
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
www.racgp.org.au
Royal Australian College of Physicians
www.racp.edu.au
Royal Flying Doctor Service
www.flyingdoctor.org.au
Rural Doctors Association of Australia
www.rdaa.com.au
Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health
www.sarrah.org.au
Speech Pathology Australia
www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
Workforce agencies Health Workforce Queensland
www.healthworkforce.com.au
HR+ Tasmania
www.hrplustas.com.au
Northern Territory Primary Health Network
www.ntphn.org.au
NSW Rural Doctors Network
www.nswrdn.com.au
Rural Doctors Workforce Agency South Australia
www.ruraldoc.com.au
Rural Health West
www.ruralhealthwest.com.au
Rural Health Workforce Australia
www.rhwa.org.au
Rural Workforce Agency Victoria
www.rwav.com.au
2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 105
ACRONYMS
Kosciuszko National Park NSW
ACRONYMS ABS
Australian Bureau of Statistics
ACCHS
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service
ACI
Agency for Clinical Innovation
ACIR
Australian Childhood Immunisation Register
ACM
Australian College of Midwives
ACN
Australian College of Nursing
ACRRM
Australian College of Rural & Remote Medicine
ADA
Australian Dental Association
AGPT
Australian General Practice Training
AHHA
Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association
AH&MRC
Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council
AHPA
Allied Health Professions Australia
AHPRA
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
AIDA
Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association
AIPA
Australia Indigenous Psychologists Association
AIHW
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare
ALS
Advanced Life Support
AMA
Australian Medical Association
AMC
Australian Medical Council
AMS
Aboriginal Medical Service
AMSA
Australian Medical Students Association
ANMF
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation
APA
Australian Physiotherapy Association
APNA
Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association
APS
Australian Psychological Society
ASGC-RA
Australian Standard Geographical Classification - Remoteness Area
ATSIHW
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker
BSS
Bush Support Services (CRANA)
CATSINaM
Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives
CDMPP
Chronic Disease Management and Prevention Program
2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 107
CEC
Clinical Excellence Commission
COAG
Commonwealth of Australian Governments
CPD
Continuing Professional Development
CPS
Central Payment System
CRANA
Council of Remote Area Nursing Association
CWA
Country Women’s Association
DAA
Dietitians Association of Australia
DoH
Australian Government Department of Health
DWS
District of Workforce Shortage
ECI
NSW Emergency Care Institute
EESSS
Ear and Eye Surgical Support Service
ECI
NSW Emergency Care Institute
FACRRM
Fellowship of Australian College of Rural & Remote Medicine
FP
NSW Family Planning NSW
FPS
Flexible Payment System
FRACGP
Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
GPRA
General Practice Registrars Australia
GPRIP
General Practice Rural Incentives Program
HEBHBL
Healthy Ears, Better Hearing, Better Listening program
HETI
Health Education and Training Institute
HR+
Health Recruitment Tasmania
HWSP
Health Workforce Scholarship Program
HWQ
Health Workforce Queensland
IAHA
Indigenous Allied Health Australia
ICTN
Interdisciplinary Clinical Training Networks (NSW)
ILD
Independent Locum Doctor
IMG
International Medical Graduate
IRS
International Recruitment Scheme
IT
Information Technology
JFPP
John Flynn Placement Program
108 I NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
LEAP
Locum Employment Assistance Program
LGA
Local Government Association
LHD
Local Health District
LIME
Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education Network
MBA
Medical Benevolent Association
MMM
Modified Monash Model
MoH
NSW Ministry of Health
MOICDP
Medical Outreach Indigenous Chronic Disease Program
NACCHO
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
NAHRLS
Nursing and Allied Health Rural Locum Scheme
NGO
Non-Government Organisation
NHMRC
National Health and Medical Research Council
NHSD
National Health Services Directory
NRHA
National Rural Health Alliance
NRHN
National Rural Health Network
NRHSN
National Rural Health Students Network
NSW
New South Wales
NT PHN
Northern Territory Primary Health Network
OTA
Occupational Therapy Australia
OTD
Overseas Trained Doctor
PIP
Practice Incentives Programme
PNIP
Practice Nurse Incentive Programme
PHCRIS
Primary Health Care Research & Information Service
PHN
Primary Health Network
PROTD
Permanent Resident Overseas Trained Doctor
RA
Remoteness Area
RACGP
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
RACMA
Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators
RACP
Royal Australian College of Physicians
RaRMS
Rural and Remote Medical Services
2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 109
RDAA
Rural Doctors Association of Australia
RDA NSW
Rural Doctors Association NSW
RDWA
Rural Doctors Workforce Agency South Australia
RDN
NSW Rural Doctors Network
RCS
Rural Clinical School
REST
Rural Emergency Skills Training
RFDS
Royal Flying Doctor Service
RHC
Rural Health Club
RHOF
Rural Health Outreach Fund
RHPP
Rural Health Professionals Program
RHTU
Rural Health Training Unit
RHWA
Rural Health Workforce Australia
RLAP
Rural Locum Assistance Program
RMFN
Rural Medical Family Network
RMSF
Rural Medical Support Forum
RMTF
Rural Medical Training Forum
ROALS
Rural Obstetric and Anaesthetic Locum Scheme
RRGPP
Rural & Remote General Practice Program
RRIG
Rural Relocation Incentive Grant
RVTS
Remote Vocational Training Scheme
RWA
Rural Workforce Agency
RWAN
Rural Workforce Agency Network
RWAV
Rural Workforce Agency Victoria
SARRAH
Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health
SBO
State Based Organisation
TROTD
Temporary Resident Overseas Trained Doctor
UDRH
University Department of Rural Health
VMO
Visiting Medical Officer
VOS
Visiting Optometrist Scheme
WIP
Workforce Incentive Program
110 I NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
INDEX
RDN New GP Orientation Workshop, Canowindra NSW
INDEX A
Australian Medical Council...............................65
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services..........................................................50-53
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation..........................................................92
Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council................................................................49
Australian Physiotherapy Association..............93
Acronyms...................................................107-110
Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association.........................................................94
Advanced Life Support ....................................16
Australian Psychological Society......................94
Agency for Clinical Innovation..........................68
Australian Standard Geographical Classification......................................................42
Allied Health Professions Australia..................91 Ambulance Services of NSW............................63 Australian Association of Social Workers........89 Australian College of Midwives........................89 Australian College of Nursing..........................90 Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.............................................................20 Australian Dental Association...........................90 Australian Digital Health Agency.....................66 Australian Government Department of Health.................................................................78 Australian Government Department of Human Services............................................17-18
Awards..................................................................2 B Bawrunga Aboriginal Medical Services...........55 C Cadetships.........................................................29 Chronic Disease Management and Prevention Program...........................................46 Clinical Excellence Commission.......................66 Conferences.......................................................21 Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives..........................55 Continuing Professional Development............21
Australian General Practice Training................22
CRANAplus........................................................95
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency................................................................61
CRANAplus Bush Support Services.................95
Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association.........................................................64 Australian Institute of Health & Welfare..........64 Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association...53 Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet..............53 Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association.........................................................54 Australian Medical Association........................65
112 I NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK
D Data....................................................................43 Health (Australian Government Department of)..................................................78 Department of Human Services (Australian Government)..............................17-18 Dietitians Association of Australia....................96 District of Workforce Shortage.........................42 DoctorConnect..................................................39
Doctors’ Health Advisory Service.....................99
L
Drug and Alcohol Specialist Advisory Service................................................................99
LIME Network....................................................58
E Emergency Care Institute.................................69 Ear and Eye Surgical Support Service..............46 F Family Planning NSW........................................16 Five Year OTD Recruitment Scheme................38 G GP Synergy.........................................................24
Local Health Districts....................................80-81 Locums...............................................................44 M Maps.............................................................81, 87 Maari Ma Primary Health Care Service............56 Medical Benevolent Association....................100 Medical Board of Australia...............................62 Medicare (Department of Human Services)....17
General Practice Registrars Australia...............67
Medical Outreach Indigenous Chronic Disease Program................................................45
General Practice Rural Incentives Program.....16
Minimum Data Set.............................................43
Grants............................................................16-18
Ministry of Health (NSW Government)............79
H
Modified Monash Model..................................43
Healing Foundation...........................................59
N
Health Education and Training Institute..........23
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation..........................................57
Health Outreach...........................................44-46 Health Workforce Scholarship Program..........17
National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Association...............................58
Healthy Ears, Better Hearing, Better Listening Program.............................................45
National Health and Medical Research Council................................................................49
I
National Health Services Directory................100
Immunisation Register......................................18
National Rural Health Alliance..........................68
Indigenous Allied Health Australia..................56
National Rural Health Students Network........30
Indigenous Eye Health Project.........................45
NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation................68
Interdisciplinary Clinical Training Networks....23
NSW Emergency Care Institute........................69
International Medical Graduates.................38-39 J
NSW Interdisciplinary Clinical Training Networks............................................................23
John Flynn Placement Program.......................36
NSW Local Health Districts..........................80-81
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NSW Ministry of Health.....................................79
Rural Doctors Association of Australia.............72
NSW Regional Training Organisation..............24
Rural Doctors Association (NSW).....................73
NSW Rural Doctors Network.........................9-14
Rural Locum Relief Program.............................38
O
Rural Locum Assistance Program.....................47
Occupational Therapy Australia.......................96
Rural Medical Family Network..........................47
Outreach........................................................44-46
Rural Medical Service Award..............................2
Overseas Trained Doctors.................................38
Rural Medical Training Forum...........................22
P
Rural Workforce Agencies...........................74-76
Policy...................................................................41
Rural Workforce Agency Network....................74
Practice Incentives Programme........................17
S
Practice Nurse Incentive Programme..............18
Scholarships..................................................12,29
Primary Health Care Research and Information Service............................................69
Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health......................................................97
Primary Health Networks.............................84-87
Speech Pathology of Australia.........................97
Publications...................................................41-42
T
R
Training Organisation........................................23
RDN WebEd.......................................................21
U
Regional Training Organisation........................24
University Departments of Rural Health.....33-34
Registrars............................................................16
University Rural Health Clubs......................30-33
Remote Vocational Training Scheme...............27
V
Research.............................................................41
Vacancies Website.............................................46
Rural Health Clubs........................................30-35
Visiting Optometrist Scheme...........................45
Rural Health Outreach Fund.............................45
W
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.......................................................25
WebEd................................................................21
Royal Australasian College of Physicians.........27 Royal Far West...................................................70 Royal Flying Doctor Service..............................70 Rural and Remote Medical Services.................83 Rural Clinical Schools...................................34-36
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Websites....................................................102-105
NSW RURAL DOCTORS NETWORK Newcastle Office Suite 1, 53 Cleary St Hamilton NSW 2303 Tel 02 4924 8000 Fax 02 4924 8010 Sydney Office Suite 3, Level 5 241 O’Riordan St Mascot NSW 2020 PO Box 1111 Mascot NSW 1460 Tel 02 8337 8100 Fax 02 8337 8110 Email info@nswrdn.com.au Web www.nswrdn.com.au Find us on
2018 REFERENCE BOOK I 115
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